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: saw · pop · band · ball · straw · can · prune · staff

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. band — a music group
  4. saw — the tool
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pop — soda
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — to trim
  9. staff — employees
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. ball — a dance
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pop — to visit
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. can — to be able to
  19. staff — employees
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pop — music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. band — a ring
  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