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: mark · prune · land · chip · date · plane · swing · face

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. chip — to eat
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. swing — music
  8. land — a country
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. face — part of the head
  11. plane — a tool
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mark — a trace
  16. land — to come down
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mark — a grade
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chip — for betting
  21. land — ground
  22. swing — to play on
  23. date — the fruit
  24. swing — in golf

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