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: fall · safe · bulb · trunk · hand · net · cue · prune

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cue — a hint
  3. net — in sport
  4. hand — in cards
  5. fall — to drop
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hand — help
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cue — a signal
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. net — for catching
  23. prune — to trim
  24. net — after costs

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