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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. season — in sport
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — completely
  8. season — of the year
  9. rest — what's left
  10. branch — a division
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. kick — in football
  14. rest — a break
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — temperature
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. degree — an amount
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. branch — of a bank

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