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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rock — music
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cap — a lid

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