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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — the fish
  4. mark — a trace
  5. current — of water
  6. bass — low music
  7. present — the time now
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. land — a country
  12. land — to come down
  13. present — a gift
  14. land — ground
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hand — help
  17. current — electric
  18. present — there
  19. hand — in cards
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. current — happening now

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