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: rest · coach · pop · nail · deal · pitch · row · prune

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pitch — completely
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pop — music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rest — what's left
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pop — soda
  23. deal — to handle
  24. prune — the fruit

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