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 · season · ruler · swing · mouse · pitch · branch · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. swing — to play on
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pitch — completely
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. swing — music
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. deal — to handle
  10. season — of the year
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. season — in sport
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. branch — a division
  23. swing — in golf
  24. season — to add flavour

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