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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. root — of a plant
  4. march — the month
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. root — the cause
  8. spell — letters
  9. bank — for money
  10. can — a tin
  11. march — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. prune — to trim
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. prune — to trim
  18. can — to be able to
  19. root — of a word
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bank — of a river
  24. squash — the vegetable

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