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: bear · pop · field · stick · season · snap · rock · prune

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pop — soda
  3. rock — a stone
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bear — the animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. field — for sport
  10. bear — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. prune — to trim
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rock — music
  16. snap — to click
  17. field — farmland
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. field — a subject
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. season — of the year
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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