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: bark · prune · present · pit · jam · field · coach · can

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. can — a tin
  3. present — the time now
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — there
  6. field — for sport
  7. present — a gift
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. field — farmland
  10. bark — to shout
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pit — in a race
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. field — a subject
  24. coach — a trainer

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