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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. club — for dancing
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. chest — a box
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. chest — of your body
  9. current — electric
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. club — for golf
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. current — of water
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. current — happening now
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chest — of your body
  23. scale — in music
  24. club — a group

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