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 · march · fan · season · pass · bay · bat · coach

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. prune — to trim
  3. march — the month
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bat — the animal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. season — of the year
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — in sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fan — a supporter

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