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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. prune — to trim
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bound — obliged
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. craft — a skill
  9. tube — the underground
  10. suit — clothes
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bound — certain
  16. tube — a container
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bound — tied together
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bore — to tire

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