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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. file — a tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fine — high quality
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fine — all right
  14. file — a line of people
  15. cell — a phone
  16. file — a document
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pop — to visit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pop — soda
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. prune — to trim

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