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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · stock · leaves · press · file · prune

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. press — to push
  4. stock — goods
  5. prune — to trim
  6. file — a document
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. file — a tool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. club — for golf
  12. file — a line of people
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stock — shares
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. press — newspapers
  17. prune — to trim
  18. press — a publisher

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