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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. object — a thing
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. prune — to trim
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bore — to tire
  7. club — a group
  8. object — an aim
  9. scale — size or range
  10. object — to protest
  11. bore — to drill
  12. scale — in music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. club — for dancing
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. club — for golf
  22. shower — rain
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. racket — a loud noise

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