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: prune · ground · content · net · stick · lash · key · rock

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. ground — a position
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. content — the amount
  5. rock — a stone
  6. key — in music
  7. net — for catching
  8. ground — crushed
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. prune — to trim
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ground — the earth
  19. content — happy
  20. rock — music
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. net — in sport
  24. content — videos and posts

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