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: coach · bat · prune · stick · fan · mug · bear · rush

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — 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