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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mug — a cup
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stem — to come from
  9. current — electric
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. craft — a skill
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — boats
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. sharp — clever
  20. perch — the fish
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mug — a face
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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