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 · trunk · pit · wave · pitcher · lean · ruler · pound

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pit — a hole
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lean — to bend
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ruler — for measuring

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