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: plane · prune · object · club · racket · present · fine · pit

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. club — for dancing
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fine — all right
  5. present — the time now
  6. pit — a hole
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pit — in a race
  9. object — a thing
  10. club — a group
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. prune — to trim
  16. present — there
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. object — an aim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. present — a gift
  24. object — to protest

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