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 116 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: net · pitch · prune · face · ruler · pit · ground · vault

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. prune — to trim
  3. net — after costs
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pit — a hole
  10. vault — a safe
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ground — the earth
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. face — to point toward
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pit — in a race
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. net — in sport
  22. face — to confront
  23. net — for catching
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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