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: bank · bear · cue · plane · game · prune · cell · squash

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bear — the animal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. squash — to crush
  8. game — a match
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cue — for pool
  12. plane — a tool
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cue — a hint
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bear — to put up with

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