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: pitch · foot · season · prune · stand · roll · fine · pound

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. prune — to trim
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. roll — a cake
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pound — a weight
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fine — high quality
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — a measure
  20. roll — a list
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fine — all right

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