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: field · branch · bat · net · object · rock · prune · deal

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. field — for sport
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. net — after costs
  10. object — a thing
  11. net — for catching
  12. branch — a division
  13. field — farmland
  14. rock — a stone
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. rock — music
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. field — a subject
  20. net — in sport
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rock — to move gently

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