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 116 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. current — of water
  3. pass — a permit
  4. current — electric
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. object — to protest
  8. current — happening now
  9. object — an aim
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. object — a thing
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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