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: mug · kick · pitch · drill · lash · prune · toast · row

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. drill — army training
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pitch — completely
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. mug — a face
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. kick — in football
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. toast — bread
  24. row — to paddle

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