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: present · foot · staff · bass · current · prune · ball · field

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. staff — employees
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — a gift
  5. ball — a dance
  6. present — there
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. staff — a stick
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. current — happening now
  12. staff — employees
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. current — electric
  15. field — farmland
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bass — the fish
  18. field — a subject
  19. foot — a measure
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. field — for sport
  22. bass — low music
  23. current — of water
  24. bass — the instrument

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