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 · spring · mouse · bank · track · bear · rest · nail

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rest — a break
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. spring — the season
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spring — a coil
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rest — what's left
  12. track — to keep track
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. spring — of water
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — a song
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. track — a path
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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