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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. current — electric
  4. rule — government
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. key — the most important part
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. branch — a division
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pitch — completely
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. rule — a law

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