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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pound — a weight
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to click
  7. hand — help
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bear — the animal
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. hand — in cards
  20. lean — thin
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bear — the animal

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