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: bound · toast · content · track · prune · nail · pitch · bark

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. track — a path
  16. toast — bread
  17. content — happy
  18. bark — to shout
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bound — certain
  24. pitch — completely

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