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: rock · bark · dip · pound · prune · press

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. press — to push
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. prune — to trim
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rock — a stone
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pound — a weight
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim

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