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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rush — hurry
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bound — tied together
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. board — to get on
  22. bass — the fish
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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