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: dip · suit · row · wake · prune · bulb · ground · rush

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. row — to paddle
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bulb — for light
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. ground — crushed
  13. prune — to trim
  14. row — a line
  15. wake — a trail
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ground — a position
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ground — the earth
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rush — to hurry

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