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 · track · root · pop · pitch · leaves · nail · board

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. prune — to trim
  3. track — to keep track
  4. board — to get on
  5. root — of a word
  6. pop — music
  7. track — a path
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. root — the cause
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pitch — completely
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. board — a committee
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. track — a song
  21. root — of a plant
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — for a hammer

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