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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. prune — to trim
  5. march — music
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. root — of a plant
  8. march — the month
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. root — the cause
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pop — to visit
  14. march — the month
  15. root — of a word
  16. pop — music
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. file — a document
  20. file — a tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pop — soda
  24. prune — the fruit

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