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: stick · cap · chip · stem · prune · club · clip · arm

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. prune — to trim
  3. clip — to cut
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. club — a group
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stem — to come from
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. chip — to eat
  12. clip — for paper
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cap — of ice
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. club — for golf
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. prune — to trim
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. club — for dancing
  23. chip — for betting
  24. prune — the fruit

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