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: shower · court · capital · prune · nail · bark · can · bank

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bank — for money
  6. court — of law
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — for sport
  11. shower — to wash
  12. capital — money
  13. bark — to shout
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bank — for money
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. shower — rain
  23. capital — a city
  24. prune — to trim

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