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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. file — a tool
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rest — a break
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pitch — completely
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. file — a line of people
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rest — what's left
  13. march — music
  14. branch — a division
  15. bound — certain
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. march — the month
  18. bound — obliged
  19. file — a document
  20. march — the month
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mug — a face

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