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: shower · mate · branch · nail · coach · hand · safe · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. prune — to trim
  6. shower — rain
  7. hand — in cards
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mate — a partner
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mate — to breed
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. shower — to wash
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. branch — a division
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mate — a friend
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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