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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. prune — to trim
  5. court — of law
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rest — a break
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ground — a position
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ground — the earth
  16. press — newspapers
  17. ball — a dance
  18. court — of a king
  19. ground — crushed
  20. press — to push
  21. ball — a great time
  22. prune — to trim
  23. court — for sport
  24. rest — what's left

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