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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. net — for catching
  3. band — a ring
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. band — a music group
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. prune — to trim
  9. vault — a safe
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. net — after costs
  16. rock — music
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. net — in sport

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