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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. prune — to trim
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. tube — the underground
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. date — the fruit
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tube — a container
  18. court — of law
  19. mate — a partner
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. foot — a measure

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