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: prune · cell · cap · club · bank · lean · fork · bark

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for golf
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. club — for dancing
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. cap — a lid
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. lean — to bend
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lean — thin
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bark — to shout
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. cell — in a prison

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