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: lean · prune · rush · mark · leaves · foot · pitch · cue

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — hurry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lean — thin
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pitch — completely
  24. foot — the bottom

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