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: fan · press · racket · prune · shower · deal · vault · trunk

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. deal — to handle
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — a publisher
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. shower — rain
  18. vault — a safe
  19. press — to push
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. prune — to trim

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