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: shower · bulb · snap · pitch · track · tube · bank · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. track — a song
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tube — the underground
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bank — for money
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. tube — a container
  16. snap — to click
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pitch — completely
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. track — a path

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