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 · track · stick · land · charge · present · squash · last

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. land — a country
  3. track — a path
  4. charge — electricity
  5. present — the time now
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. land — to come down
  8. squash — to crush
  9. land — ground
  10. last — finally
  11. squash — the sport
  12. prune — to trim
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. charge — in control
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. present — there
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. charge — a price
  24. present — a gift

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