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: land · prune · racket · dip · chair · temple · pop · stand

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pop — soda
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stand — to bear
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. land — ground
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. land — to come down
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. land — a country
  18. chair — a leader
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pop — music
  23. stand — for spectators
  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