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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cue — a hint
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bank — for money
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. track — a song
  13. lean — to bend
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cue — a signal
  18. scale — in music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lean — thin
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pop — music
  24. mine — belonging to me

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