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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. suit — to fit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. prune — to trim
  10. season — of the year
  11. wound — an injury
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. scale — in music
  14. ground — a position
  15. club — a group
  16. suit — in cards
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. suit — clothes
  23. season — in sport
  24. wound — an injury

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