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: tear · craft · prune · safe · hide · temple · deal · clip

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. clip — to cut
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. craft — a skill
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. clip — a video
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tear — from crying
  13. clip — for paper
  14. prune — to trim
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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