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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rash — a series
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pop — soda
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pop — music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. prune — to trim
  19. present — there
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bulb — of a plant

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