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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. object — an aim
  3. bulb — for light
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bulb — for light
  7. march — the month
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. march — the month
  11. prune — to trim
  12. object — to protest
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. object — a thing
  15. file — a tool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. march — music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. file — a document
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. racket — for tennis

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