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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lean — to bend
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bank — of a river
  13. roll — a list
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stem — to come from
  16. prune — to trim
  17. roll — a cake
  18. hand — help
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bank — for money
  22. rash — a series
  23. bank — for money
  24. hand — part of the 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