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: pit · racket · spring · wake · pop · rush · prune · bank

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pop — to visit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bank — for money
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. spring — the season
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. spring — of water
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — soda
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pop — music
  21. bank — of a river
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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