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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · craft · cabinet · race · fork · prune

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. prune — to trim
  3. race — a contest
  4. bank — for money
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. race — humankind
  15. fork — in a road
  16. craft — boats
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim

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