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: bulb · present · lean · pop · prune · current · straw · pitcher

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. current — happening now
  5. pop — to visit
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pop — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lean — thin
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. current — of water
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. lean — to bend
  21. present — a gift
  22. current — electric
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. pitcher — a jug

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