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: fall · cue · prune · branch · swing · rush · board · rock

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fall — the season
  4. rock — music
  5. rush — hurry
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cue — a hint
  15. board — to get on
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. swing — music
  22. board — a committee
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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