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: dip · prune · stem · race · pop · chair · spell · ball

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pop — soda
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pop — music
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. spell — magic
  12. race — a contest
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ball — a dance
  15. spell — a short time
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. spell — letters
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pop — to visit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. chair — a leader

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