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 116 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: cue · prune · pitch · racket · chip · hand · plane · mouse

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitch — completely
  18. prune — to trim
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cue — for pool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. chip — to eat

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