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: can · bound · prune · date · ruler · cell · patient · wind

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wind — moving air
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — a tin
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wind — moving air
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bound — tied together
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bound — certain
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cell — a phone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cell — in biology
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bound — obliged

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