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: prune · object · bark · cabinet · pitch · vault · stock · leaves

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — to protest
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. object — a thing
  21. bark — to shout
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stock — shares
  24. leaves — lets stay

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