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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. can — a tin
  4. net — in sport
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rule — government
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rule — a law
  11. can — a tin
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. net — for catching
  15. cue — for pool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pop — soda
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pop — to visit
  20. degree — temperature
  21. net — after costs
  22. degree — from a university
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pop — music

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