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 116 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: pitch · root · can · branch · current · spell · scale · prune

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. current — of water
  6. spell — magic
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. current — happening now
  11. root — the cause
  12. can — a tin
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. current — electric
  16. pitch — completely
  17. spell — a short time
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. spell — letters
  21. root — of a plant
  22. prune — to trim
  23. root — of a word
  24. scale — in music

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