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

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stand — to bear
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bass — the fish
  5. can — a tin
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bass — low music
  10. can — a tin
  11. branch — a division
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. can — to be able to
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mark — a grade
  19. key — the most important part
  20. kick — in football
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mark — a trace
  24. key — in music

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