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: prune · hide · band · present · track · pitch · patient · mug

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. present — the time now
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. prune — to trim
  6. band — a ring
  7. mug — a cup
  8. band — a music group
  9. track — a song
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. track — to keep track
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. track — a path
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mug — a face
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. prune — to trim
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mug — to rob
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. patient — a sick person

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