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: rule · stick · season · prune · mug · snap · shower · ball

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. ball — a dance
  3. season — of the year
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. ball — a great time
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mug — a cup
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. mug — a face
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rule — government
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. snap — to click
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mug — to rob
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rule — a law
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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