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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cue — a hint
  4. press — to push
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pop — soda
  9. branch — a division
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a signal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pop — music
  17. kid — to tease
  18. pop — to visit
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pit — a hole
  23. kid — child
  24. press — newspapers

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