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: march · prune · suit · file · nail · perch · sharp · racket

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. march — the month
  8. prune — to trim
  9. file — a document
  10. sharp — clever
  11. suit — clothes
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. file — a line of people
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — in cards
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — to fit
  22. file — a tool
  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