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: root · toast · bass · fall · jam · game · prune · pound

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. fall — to drop
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. prune — to trim
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bass — low music
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fall — the season
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. game — wild animals
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bass — the fish
  18. root — the cause
  19. pound — a weight
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. fall — to drop
  22. toast — bread
  23. root — of a word
  24. pound — for dogs

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