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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. band — a ring
  5. prune — to trim
  6. band — a music group
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mark — a grade
  12. kid — child
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mark — a trace
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kid — to tease
  24. prune — to trim

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