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: squash · cabinet · prune · content · straw · clip · stock · rock

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stock — shares
  4. clip — for paper
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. clip — a video
  8. squash — the sport
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. clip — to cut
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. content — the amount
  20. stock — goods
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. content — happy
  24. straw — dry grass

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