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

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ground — the earth
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pound — a weight
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. press — a publisher
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ground — crushed
  16. press — newspapers
  17. prune — to trim
  18. press — to push
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. prune — to trim
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. ground — a position
  24. saw — the tool

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