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

Word bank: fine · prune · mate · jam · sharp · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. prune — to trim
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fine — high quality
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. fine — all right
  10. prune — to trim
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mate — a friend
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. prune — the fruit

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