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: rush · prune · pop · plane · wake · mate · chest · pitch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chest — of your body
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chest — a box
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pop — music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chest — of your body
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mate — a partner
  24. plane — an aircraft

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