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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bass — the fish
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. root — of a word
  5. mug — a face
  6. root — of a plant
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mug — to rob
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ground — a position
  11. root — the cause
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rule — a law
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bass — low music
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rule — government
  23. mug — a cup
  24. racket — for tennis

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