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: bark · pop · prune · board · season · rash · craft · toast

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. season — of the year
  3. rash — a series
  4. craft — boats
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. toast — bread
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pop — to visit
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. season — in sport
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. board — to get on
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rash — hasty
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. board — a committee
  21. bark — to shout
  22. prune — to trim
  23. craft — a skill
  24. board — a flat piece

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