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 · key · race · plane · hide · charge · swing · current

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. charge — electricity
  3. swing — music
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. race — humankind
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. current — happening now
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. swing — to play on
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. swing — in golf
  16. plane — a tool
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. prune — to trim
  21. key — in music
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — a contest
  24. key — the most important part

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