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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pitch — completely
  4. court — of law
  5. fork — in a road
  6. sharp — clever
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. court — of a king
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. prune — to trim
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. court — for sport

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