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: stand · kid · wave · prune · can · ball · march · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. march — music
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. kid — child
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ball — a great time
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. march — the month
  15. kid — to tease
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. march — the month
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stand — to bear
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. can — to be able to

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