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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bass — the fish
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. content — the amount
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. spring — of water
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bass — low music
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. content — happy
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mine — an explosive

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