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: fan · prune · ball · date · patient · saw · suit · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — to fit
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. saw — the tool
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a great time
  23. prune — to trim
  24. saw — the tool

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