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: hand · pit · game · rock · wave · stem · racket · branch

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. branch — a division
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. game — wild animals
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stem — to come from
  10. game — a match
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rock — music
  20. hand — in cards
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. racket — a loud noise

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