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: rule · bass · pop · staff · fine · band · prune · racket

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rule — a law
  5. pop — to visit
  6. fine — all right
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rule — government
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — high quality
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bass — the fish
  16. staff — employees
  17. pop — soda
  18. bass — low music
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. band — a music group
  21. prune — to trim
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. band — a ring

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