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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. spell — a short time
  7. cue — a signal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. charge — a price
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wound — an injury
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. charge — in control
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. spell — letters
  17. prune — to trim
  18. snap — to click
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. spell — magic
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bowl — a dish

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