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: hand · spring · present · rush · key · arm · bulb · prune

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. 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. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spring — of water
  9. key — the most important part
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. hand — in cards
  13. present — a gift
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. rush — hurry
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. present — the time now
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. present — there
  20. prune — to trim
  21. key — in music
  22. hand — help
  23. spring — the season
  24. 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