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: dip · straw · prune · cap · wave · roll · object · pound

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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 — the fruit
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. object — to protest
  6. prune — to trim
  7. object — a thing
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. cap — a lid
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pound — a weight
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — an aim
  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