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: pit · branch · prune · ball · trunk · kid · pass · roll

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ball — a great time
  7. roll — a list
  8. pit — in a race
  9. roll — a cake
  10. prune — to trim
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. kid — child
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. kid — to tease
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. pit — a hole
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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