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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. firm — decided
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. firm — a company
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chip — to eat
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pound — a weight
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fork — in a road
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. chip — for betting
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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