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: rash · plane · chip · cue · prune · rock · straw · wake

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. chip — for betting
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rash — hasty
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. cue — a signal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — a series
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. rock — music

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