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: pitcher · cue · dip · game · prune · deal · cap · temple

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. game — wild animals
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. cue — a signal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cue — for pool
  8. deal — to handle
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cap — a hat
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. prune — to trim
  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