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: fine · bulb · squash · hand · lean · prune · safe · saw

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. fine — all right
  3. bulb — for light
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lean — thin
  6. fine — high quality
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. prune — to trim
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. saw — the tool
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. squash — the sport
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lean — to bend

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