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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. prune — to trim
  5. swing — to play on
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. prune — to trim
  8. plane — a tool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. stock — goods
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rule — government
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stock — shares
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rule — a law
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bank — for money
  24. swing — music

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