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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wound — an injury
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. shower — rain
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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