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: saw · prune · lean · fall · staff · pound · safe · bark

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lean — thin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pound — a weight
  6. prune — to trim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. prune — to trim
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lean — to bend
  15. staff — employees
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. staff — a stick
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. staff — employees

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