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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. object — to protest
  5. bass — low music
  6. lean — to bend
  7. object — a thing
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lean — thin
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. object — an aim
  17. bass — the fish
  18. trunk — of an elephant

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