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: racket · spell · ball · fall · prune · rock · bass · cabinet

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bass — the fish
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fall — to drop
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. fall — to drop
  14. prune — to trim
  15. spell — a short time
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spell — letters
  21. bass — low music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fall — the season
  24. spell — magic

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