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: prune · press · rash · bank · nail · jam · mark · spell

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bank — of a river
  5. prune — to trim
  6. press — to push
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. spell — a short time
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. spell — magic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rash — a series
  15. spell — letters
  16. bank — for money
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mark — a trace
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mark — a grade
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. nail — for a hammer

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