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: roll · stem · prune · wound · wave · bound · pound · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. roll — a cake
  3. pound — a weight
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. roll — a list
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — tied together

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