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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pop — to visit
  3. track — to keep track
  4. object — a thing
  5. ball — a great time
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pop — soda
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bass — low music
  13. object — an aim
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. track — a song
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pop — music
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. track — a path
  21. object — to protest
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bass — the fish

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