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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. key — the most important part
  3. club — for golf
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. club — for dancing
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. band — a ring
  10. key — in music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. deal — to handle
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. club — a group
  15. key — for a lock
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — thin
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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