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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mine — for digging
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. key — in music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — a division
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. key — for a lock
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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