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: branch · bowl · scale · prune · firm · pop · chest · calf

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — size or range
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chest — of your body
  11. firm — a company
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chest — a box
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pop — to visit
  17. branch — a division
  18. pop — music
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. firm — steady
  23. scale — in music
  24. branch — of a tree

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