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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. club — a group
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. tear — from crying
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. firm — steady
  9. tear — from crying
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. cell — in biology
  12. wound — an injury
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bound — certain
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. prune — to trim
  18. firm — a company
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. club — for golf
  21. firm — decided
  22. tear — to rip
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cell — a phone

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