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

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. game — a match
  3. game — wild animals
  4. board — a committee
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bank — of a river
  8. can — a tin
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. can — a tin
  14. board — to get on
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit

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