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: prune · pop · bound · field · current · key · craft · trunk

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bound — certain
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pop — to visit
  6. field — for sport
  7. pop — soda
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pop — music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. craft — boats
  12. current — electric
  13. field — a subject
  14. prune — to trim
  15. key — in music
  16. current — of water
  17. bound — tied together
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. field — farmland
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — happening now
  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