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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. scale — in music
  9. pop — soda
  10. prune — to trim
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. dip — to sink
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pop — music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. prune — to trim
  24. scale — for weighing

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