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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  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 — to trim
  2. wound — an injury
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. plane — a tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — to tease
  21. ball — a dance
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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