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 120 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: ball · saw · firm · nail · march · bound · bore · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. firm — steady
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. prune — to trim
  8. firm — a company
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. ball — a great time
  13. march — music
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bound — obliged
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bore — to drill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. firm — decided
  22. march — the month
  23. bore — to tire
  24. march — the month

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