ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. kid — to tease
  3. stem — to come from
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. board — a committee
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kid — child
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. prune — to trim
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. board — to get on
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com