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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bass — low music
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pop — soda
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lie — to recline
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. kid — to tease
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. kid — child
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. pop — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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