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 116 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: stock · dip · key · prune · bass · file · stick · swing

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. key — in music
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bass — low music
  5. dip — to sink
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. file — a tool
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bass — the fish
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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