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: object · foot · present · pitch · perch · bound · fine · prune

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bound — tied together
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. object — a thing
  8. present — a gift
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. prune — to trim
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. perch — the fish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bound — certain
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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