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 120 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: cue · fine · press · prune · craft · kid · stem · ball

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stem — to come from
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. kid — to tease
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. cue — a hint
  13. press — to push
  14. fine — all right
  15. press — a publisher
  16. kid — child
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cue — a signal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ball — a dance

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