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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. degree — from a university
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. can — a tin
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. track — a song
  15. stand — to bear
  16. degree — temperature
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. degree — an amount
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. coach — a trainer
  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