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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pop — music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. key — for a lock
  6. craft — boats
  7. board — a committee
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bank — for money
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pop — soda
  13. lean — thin
  14. bank — of a river
  15. key — in music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. branch — a division
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. craft — a skill
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. board — to get on
  24. craft — a handicraft

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