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: rush · key · fine · spring · prune · cabinet · trunk · current

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. key — the most important part
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. spring — the season
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. spring — of water
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. prune — to trim
  15. current — happening now
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. spring — a coil
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. trunk — of a car

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