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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. spring — the season
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. last — to go on
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pop — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. last — finally
  11. mark — a grade
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pop — soda
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. last — final
  19. rock — music
  20. spring — of water
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. spring — a coil
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pop — to visit

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