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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. bulb — of a plant
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pass — a permit
  6. band — a ring
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. branch — a division
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. band — a music group
  23. pitch — completely
  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