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 120 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: mark · coach · rest · branch · pitch · pound · wind · ball

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. rest — a break
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mark — a grade
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a trace
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wind — moving air
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pound — a weight
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — to pay attention

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