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: ball · ruler · bulb · straw · tear · jam · craft · prune

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. tear — from crying
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. prune — to trim
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. tear — from crying
  11. ball — a dance
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tear — to rip
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. prune — to trim
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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