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: sharp · prune · pass · racket · spell · bulb · march · arm

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. spell — a short time
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. march — the month
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. spell — magic
  15. prune — to trim
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. sharp — clever
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — for light
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. spell — letters
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. prune — to trim

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