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: prune · rock · pitch · nail · race · cabinet · rest · current

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. current — electric
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. race — humankind
  9. current — of water
  10. rest — a break
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. current — happening now
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rock — music
  20. race — the arms race
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rest — what's left
  24. race — a contest

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