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: bound · bore · fine · pitch · straw · root · charge · prune

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. root — of a word
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bore — to tire
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fine — high quality
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. charge — in control
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. charge — electricity
  19. prune — to trim
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. charge — a price
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. root — the cause
  24. fine — all right

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