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 · rock · ruler · roll · squash · mug · charge · cell

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. mug — a face
  3. cell — in biology
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. charge — in control
  6. rock — music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rock — a stone
  11. squash — to crush
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mug — to rob
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cell — a phone
  17. charge — a price
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mug — a cup

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