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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. prune — to trim
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fine — all right
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mug — a face
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. prune — the fruit

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