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: hide · field · swing · charge · pit · fork · prune · chip

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. charge — a price
  3. chip — to eat
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pit — in a race
  6. field — farmland
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pit — a hole
  9. chip — for betting
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. swing — music
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. swing — to play on
  18. field — a subject
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. field — for sport
  22. swing — in golf
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hide — to keep secret

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