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: hide · prune · stand · rash · charge · stick · pitch · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. rash — hasty
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — in football
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. charge — a price
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rash — on the skin

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