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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. spring — the season
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. spring — of water
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bark — to shout
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rest — a break
  18. spring — a coil
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rest — what's left

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