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: cue · pitcher · prune · pop · fine · temple · wave · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pop — to visit
  5. cue — for pool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pop — music
  11. spell — letters
  12. fine — all right
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fine — high quality
  15. spell — magic
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. cue — a hint
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pop — soda

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