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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stock — shares
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mug — a face
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. spring — of water
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stock — goods
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — the season
  24. wave — with your hand

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