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 · wave · patient · safe · land · bear · saw · rest

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. prune — to trim
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. saw — the tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. land — a country
  13. rest — what's left
  14. land — ground
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rest — a break
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. land — to come down
  24. bear — the animal

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