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: bear · bank · kick · mate · prune · cap · bound · tube

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bound — certain
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. tube — a container
  6. cap — a hat
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bound — obliged
  9. tube — the underground
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — in football
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mate — a friend

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