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 120 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: bank · prune · wound · lean · straw · file · safe · pit

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bank — of a river
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. file — a line of people
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pit — in a race
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. prune — to trim
  20. file — a document
  21. wound — an injury
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bank — for money

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