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: mouse · rush · prune · bear · spring · cabinet · object · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. object — an aim
  3. spring — of water
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rush — hurry
  10. spring — the season
  11. bound — tied together
  12. object — to protest
  13. spring — a coil
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. object — a thing
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. rush — a thrill

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