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: bore · root · mouse · rush · pitch · toast · prune · saw

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. saw — the tool
  6. root — the cause
  7. saw — the tool
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. toast — bread
  12. bore — to drill
  13. root — of a word
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. root — of a plant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bore — to tire
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mouse — the animal

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