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 · pit · fork · mug · board · kid · club · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. file — a tool
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. prune — to trim
  10. file — a line of people
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. club — a group
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. kid — child
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pit — in a race
  19. prune — to trim
  20. kid — to tease
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. mug — a cup
  24. club — for golf

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