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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ball — a dance
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. ball — a great time
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pass — a permit
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pass — to spend time

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