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: bore · prune · swing · mouse · race · pit · cap · pitch

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bore — to tire
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. swing — in golf
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. swing — music
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. cap — a lid
  18. race — humankind
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pitch — completely
  21. swing — to play on
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. prune — the fruit

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