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: prune · stand · chip · plane · root · bank · racket · tear

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bank — for money
  4. tear — from crying
  5. root — of a word
  6. tear — from crying
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bank — for money
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. tear — to rip
  17. root — the cause
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chip — for betting
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. root — of a plant

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