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 · rash · pitcher · pound · hide · arm · trunk · prune

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rash — a series
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — hasty
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hide — to keep secret

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