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: rock · toast · bass · arm · prune · spring · capital · bear

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. toast — bread
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bear — the animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rock — music
  14. capital — a city
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — the season
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bear — the animal
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bass — low music
  21. capital — money
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spring — of water
  24. rock — a stone

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