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: snap · lie · board · coach · swing · pit · spring · prune

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pit — a hole
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. swing — music
  7. board — to get on
  8. lie — to recline
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. prune — to trim
  11. spring — of water
  12. pit — in a race
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spring — the season
  15. snap — to click
  16. prune — to trim
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. board — a committee
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — in golf
  22. spring — a coil
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. swing — to play on

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