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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · mug · branch · ball · bulb · bass · scale · chip

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. field — for sport
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mug — to rob
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mug — a cup
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a great time
  14. scale — in music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. field — farmland
  17. bass — low music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ball — a dance
  22. field — a subject
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mug — a face

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