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: jam · stem · prune · fork · trunk · safe · bound · march

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. march — the month
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bound — certain
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. march — the month
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. march — music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bound — tied together
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. safe — out of danger

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