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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. band — a ring
  3. cue — a signal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. band — a music group
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. craft — boats
  12. charge — in control
  13. craft — a skill
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mate — a partner
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lean — thin
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cue — a hint
  23. charge — a price
  24. bank — for money

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