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: spell · prune · rash · pop · rest · pit · sharp · mug

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. pop — music
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pop — soda
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rest — what's left
  6. spell — magic
  7. rash — hasty
  8. spell — letters
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mug — a face
  12. rest — a break
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rest — what's left
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pop — to visit
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rash — a series
  22. prune — to trim
  23. sharp — exactly
  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