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 116 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: pitcher · prune · pit · mark · file · ground · cap · object

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. ground — the earth
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. file — a document
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. file — a tool
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. prune — to trim
  23. object — a thing
  24. file — a line of people

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