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: branch · pop · mate · lie · scale · rest · pitcher · tube

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mate — a partner
  5. lie — to recline
  6. scale — in music
  7. mate — to breed
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pop — music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mate — a friend
  16. tube — a container
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. branch — a division

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