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 120 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: dip · prune · cue · board · mug · land · present · spring

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. spring — of water
  5. board — to get on
  6. cue — for pool
  7. present — there
  8. land — a country
  9. present — a gift
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. spring — the season
  12. cue — a signal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — the time now
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. cue — a hint
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. land — ground
  24. land — to come down

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