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 120 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 · cabinet · pass · cap · prune · straw · safe · last

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pass — a permit
  4. craft — a skill
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cap — of ice
  9. last — final
  10. last — to go on
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cap — a lid
  13. last — finally
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. craft — boats
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. craft — a handicraft

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