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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kid — to tease
  7. march — music
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ball — a dance
  10. present — a gift
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. march — the month
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — child
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. present — the time now
  19. pit — a hole
  20. present — there
  21. bass — low music
  22. pit — in a race
  23. march — the month
  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