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: object · pitch · face · stem · bowl · branch · bulb · last

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. last — final
  5. branch — a division
  6. pitch — completely
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bulb — for light
  9. last — finally
  10. object — a thing
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. face — to point toward
  18. object — an aim
  19. last — to go on
  20. face — to confront
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. object — to protest

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