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

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rule — a law
  3. bank — for money
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — an amount
  7. key — in music
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bank — for money
  10. degree — from a university
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bank — of a river
  15. prune — to trim
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rule — government
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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