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: mate · band · prune · hide · nail · chip · dip · pitch

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. prune — to trim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mate — a partner
  15. band — a music group
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. chip — to eat
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. band — a ring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mate — a friend

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