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 120 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: pit · root · chair · prune · stick · swing · cell · club

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cell — in biology
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pit — in a race
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. root — of a word
  10. swing — music
  11. root — the cause
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. swing — to play on
  14. root — of a plant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pit — a hole
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. club — for golf
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. cell — a phone
  23. club — a group
  24. chair — a leader

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