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 · race · bank · object · cue · stick · kid · key

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. key — in music
  8. bank — for money
  9. cue — a hint
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. object — an aim
  12. key — the most important part
  13. object — to protest
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kid — to tease
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. object — a thing
  19. kid — child
  20. race — humankind
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. key — for a lock
  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