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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. prune — to trim
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pop — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pop — to visit
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — for paper
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pop — soda
  18. clip — to cut
  19. rock — music
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rock — a stone

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