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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. swing — to play on
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. prune — to trim
  6. swing — music
  7. spell — magic
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pop — soda
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. spell — letters
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. mark — a trace
  17. spell — a short time
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pop — music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pop — to visit
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mark — a grade

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