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: court · charge · saw · prune · safe · cabinet · key · spring

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spring — the season
  5. key — for a lock
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spring — of water
  8. court — of law
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. court — of a king
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. saw — the tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. key — the most important part
  16. prune — to trim
  17. charge — in control
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. charge — electricity
  21. key — in music
  22. spring — a coil
  23. court — for sport
  24. charge — a price

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