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: rash · prune · file · suit · spring · spell · jam · march

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. rash — a series
  12. suit — clothes
  13. march — the month
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. suit — in cards
  16. march — music
  17. spell — a short time
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. spell — magic
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spell — letters
  22. prune — to trim
  23. file — a line of people
  24. march — the month

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