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: prune · cue · march · arm · pop · root · can · stick

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cue — for pool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pop — music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pop — to visit
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pop — soda
  13. march — the month
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. can — a tin
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal
  19. root — of a word
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. root — the cause
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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