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: current · plane · hide · prune · hand · track · pit · wake

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. current — electric
  3. track — to keep track
  4. wake — a trail
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. track — a path
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pit — in a race
  10. current — happening now
  11. hand — in cards
  12. current — of water
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. track — a song
  23. hand — help
  24. wake — before a funeral

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