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: bark · pass · row · prune · safe · cell · trunk · rest

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. rest — what's left
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rest — a break
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cell — a phone
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bark — to shout
  14. prune — to trim
  15. row — a line
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cell — in biology
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pass — to succeed

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