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: prune · rest · cap · fine · fork · pop · date · chip

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cap — of ice
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fork — in a road
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pop — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. date — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fine — all right
  19. chip — for betting
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rest — a break
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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