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: mark · cell · prune · face · bore · coach · craft · pitch

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. cell — in biology
  3. craft — a skill
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mark — a trace
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — to point toward
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cell — a phone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pitch — completely
  22. craft — boats
  23. face — part of the head
  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