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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. press — newspapers
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cold — an illness
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. press — a publisher
  10. cold — not warm
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. tube — a container
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. press — to push
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. tube — in a tire

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