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 120 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: mouse · prune · bat · plane · wind · dip · can · mate

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bat — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. wind — moving air
  8. can — a tin
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wind — moving air
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mouse — the animal

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