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: chip · stem · mine · stick · roll · squash · prune · march

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. march — the month
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. squash — the sport
  8. march — the month
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. march — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. roll — a list
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mine — for digging
  16. chip — to eat
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. chip — for betting
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. squash — to crush
  24. roll — a cake

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