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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chest — a box
  8. capital — a city
  9. branch — a division
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. capital — money
  13. chest — of your body
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mark — a trace
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. deal — to handle

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