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 116 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 the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bank — for money
  6. bound — obliged
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cue — a signal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — tied together
  12. firm — decided
  13. prune — to trim
  14. last — finally
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bank — of a river
  18. last — to go on
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bound — certain
  23. last — final
  24. cue — a hint

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