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 · fork · club · straw · lean · pit · scale · current

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. current — happening now
  4. scale — size or range
  5. lean — thin
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. current — electric
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. prune — to trim
  14. club — for golf
  15. pit — a hole
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pit — in a race
  18. scale — in music
  19. club — for dancing
  20. lean — to bend
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. current — of water

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