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 120 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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chest — a box
  3. field — farmland
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. field — a subject
  9. pop — music
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — soda
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pop — to visit
  20. field — for sport
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. chest — of your body

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