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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pitch — completely
  8. content — the amount
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — to keep track
  12. content — happy
  13. race — a contest
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. race — humankind
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. track — a path
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. track — a song
  24. prune — to trim

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