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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mug — a cup
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mug — a face
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. fine — all right
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. game — a match
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. squash — the sport
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. game — wild animals

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