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: saw · court · shower · press · bowl · bark · prune · stick

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. shower — rain
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bark — to shout
  8. court — for sport
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. press — a publisher
  11. saw — the tool
  12. court — of a king
  13. shower — to wash
  14. press — to push
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. court — of law
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. saw — the tool

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