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: content · prune · foot · safe · spring · band · vault · mouse

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. band — a ring
  5. spring — the season
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. prune — to trim
  9. spring — a coil
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. foot — a measure
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. content — the amount
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. band — a music group
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — of water

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