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: current · bear · prune · bowl · rule · fine · tear · clip

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. tear — from crying
  3. clip — for paper
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. current — happening now
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. current — electric
  15. clip — a video
  16. rule — government
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. current — of water
  20. tear — from crying
  21. clip — to cut
  22. rule — a law
  23. fine — all right
  24. bear — to put up with

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