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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cap — a hat
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kid — child
  8. chair — a leader
  9. net — after costs
  10. swing — music
  11. kid — to tease
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. swing — in golf
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cap — a lid
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. net — for catching
  22. swing — to play on
  23. net — in sport
  24. cap — of ice

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