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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. saw — the tool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. craft — boats
  5. bank — for money
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bank — for money
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bank — of a river
  10. roll — a list
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. can — a tin
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. craft — a skill
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. hand — in cards
  18. can — to be able to
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. can — a tin
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hand — help

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