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 120 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: file · stand · prune · bound · season · bear · wave · mug

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. mug — a cup
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bound — certain
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bear — the animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. file — a tool
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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