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: nail · pitch · rock · lie · pitcher · branch · mate · object

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. lie — to recline
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pitch — completely
  6. object — an aim
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. branch — a division
  15. object — to protest
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. object — a thing
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — to breed
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mate — a friend

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