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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bank — for money
  4. prune — to trim
  5. land — to come down
  6. rash — a series
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. land — ground
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. land — a country
  18. bank — for money
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. rash — hasty
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ball — a dance
  24. trunk — of a car

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