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 · wound · band · fork · cue · bank · pit · cabinet

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — of a river
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. band — a ring
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bank — for money
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bank — for money
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. prune — to trim

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