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 116 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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. spring — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. fine — high quality
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wound — an injury
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. fine — all right
  16. spring — a coil
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. prune — to trim

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