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: jam · rule · plane · cold · roll · prune · spell · rock

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. plane — a tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cold — an illness
  9. rule — government
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. spell — magic
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. roll — a cake
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rock — music
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cold — not warm
  22. rule — a law
  23. prune — to trim
  24. jam — a tight spot

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