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: safe · racket · jam · prune · bowl · lean · spring · tear

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. spring — of water
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. spring — the season
  7. lean — thin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. tear — to rip
  10. prune — to trim
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. spring — a coil
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. tear — from crying
  19. prune — to trim
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. tear — from crying

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