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: fan · prune · club · squash · safe · racket · stick · bass

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bass — low music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. prune — to trim
  9. squash — the sport
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — the fish
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. club — for dancing
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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