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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. press — a publisher
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pop — music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pop — soda
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bear — the animal

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