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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. present — the time now
  3. ball — a dance
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rock — music
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. present — a gift
  13. vault — a safe
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. present — there
  16. mate — to breed
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. prune — to trim
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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