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

Word bank: pitcher · branch · row · ball · coach · rush · net · ruler

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. net — for catching
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. net — after costs
  11. ball — a great time
  12. net — in sport
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — hurry
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. ball — a dance

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