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 120 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. track — a path
  6. branch — a division
  7. shower — rain
  8. track — a song
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bound — certain
  14. rest — a break
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bound — obliged
  17. rest — what's left
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pitch — completely
  22. shower — to wash
  23. track — to keep track
  24. arm — a part of something

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