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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pop — soda
  8. object — to protest
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. spring — the season
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. object — a thing
  15. pop — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. spring — a coil
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. prune — to trim
  20. object — an aim
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. spring — of water

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