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: board · branch · bulb · rash · roll · present · pitch · track

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitch — completely
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. branch — a division
  8. present — a gift
  9. rash — a series
  10. board — to get on
  11. track — a path
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rash — hasty
  14. track — to keep track
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. present — there
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. track — a song
  19. roll — a list
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bulb — for light
  22. board — a committee
  23. roll — a cake
  24. present — the time now

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