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 120 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: rule · spell · prune · stem · dip · press · bowl · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. press — newspapers
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. prune — to trim
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. dip — to sink

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