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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bound — certain
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a dance
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bound — obliged
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stem — to come from

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