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 116 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: object · bass · pitcher · bank · cell · safe · pass · prune

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bank — for money
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bank — of a river
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — in biology
  12. object — an aim
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bank — for money
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bass — low music
  21. object — a thing
  22. pass — a permit
  23. object — to protest
  24. cell — in a prison

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