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: rush · bear · press · last · prune · fine · net · bore

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. last — final
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. last — to go on
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fine — all right
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bore — to tire
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. bore — to drill
  19. press — to push
  20. net — in sport
  21. last — finally
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bear — to put up with

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