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 · deal · pop · bear · suit · wake · pitcher · court

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. court — of law
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pop — music
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of a king
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wake — a trail
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. prune — to trim

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