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

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pop — to visit
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. pop — soda
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pop — music
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. current — happening now
  19. prune — to trim
  20. perch — the fish
  21. prune — to trim
  22. content — happy
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. content — the amount

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