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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. object — to protest
  4. bark — to shout
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bound — certain
  7. club — for dancing
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. branch — a division
  10. cell — in biology
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. object — a thing
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. object — an aim
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. prune — to trim
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — tied together

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