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: saw · march · current · perch · coach · face · prune · pit

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. march — music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. current — happening now
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. face — part of the head
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. face — to confront
  13. march — the month
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. face — to point toward
  16. prune — to trim
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. current — electric
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. march — the month
  21. pit — in a race
  22. perch — the fish
  23. prune — to trim
  24. current — of water

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