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: mine · squash · leaves · prune · track · toast · pitch · key

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. prune — to trim
  4. squash — to crush
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mine — for digging
  17. track — to keep track
  18. key — in music
  19. toast — bread
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. key — the most important part
  22. squash — the sport
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mine — an explosive

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