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: spring · march · stick · roll · jam · rest · prune · perch

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. spring — the season
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. roll — a list
  6. spring — a coil
  7. prune — to trim
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. spring — of water
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rest — what's left
  18. roll — a cake
  19. prune — to trim
  20. march — the month
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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