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: craft · prune · object · degree · cabinet · pitcher · calf · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bank — for money
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. degree — an amount
  11. object — to protest
  12. degree — temperature
  13. craft — boats
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. craft — a skill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bank — for money
  23. degree — from a university
  24. object — a thing

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