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: fall · content · clip · scale · prune · roll · bowl · current

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. prune — to trim
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. clip — a video
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fall — the season
  10. clip — to cut
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fall — to drop
  14. current — happening now
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. fall — to drop
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — a list
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. clip — for paper
  23. scale — in music
  24. current — of water

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