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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. march — music
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. prune — to trim
  7. toast — bread
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. mug — to rob
  15. dip — to sink
  16. march — the month
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mug — a face
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rush — hurry
  23. march — the month
  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