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: club · pop · safe · perch · kid · prune · season · mate

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kid — child
  4. pop — soda
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. perch — the fish
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mate — a friend
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. club — for golf
  12. kid — to tease
  13. mate — a partner
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — of the year
  16. mate — to breed
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pop — to visit
  19. club — a group
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. prune — to trim
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. club — for dancing
  24. season — in sport

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