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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bound — certain
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lean — to bend
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. prune — to trim
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bound — tied together
  20. prune — to trim
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. lean — thin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. key — in music

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