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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. branch — a division
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mate — to breed
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pit — a hole

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