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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bat — the animal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bass — low music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. band — a ring
  7. bank — of a river
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. band — a music group
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bank — for money
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bass — the fish
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. plane — an aircraft

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