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: face · can · spell · branch · current · kick · spring · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. spell — magic
  3. can — a tin
  4. current — of water
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. prune — to trim
  10. can — to be able to
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. spell — a short time
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. face — to confront
  17. spell — letters
  18. face — part of the head
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. spring — the season
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. face — to point toward
  24. can — a tin

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