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 116 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: prune · bass · fall · bank · perch · squash · ruler · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. deal — a big deal
  2. bass — the fish
  3. squash — to crush
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fall — to drop
  10. perch — the fish
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fall — the season
  13. bass — low music
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bank — for money
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bank — for money
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bank — of a river
  22. prune — to trim
  23. squash — the sport
  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