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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bat — the animal
  4. branch — a division
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. present — there
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lie — to recline

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