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: rock · key · branch · cabinet · tear · pitch · deal · date

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rock — music
  3. tear — from crying
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pitch — completely
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rock — a stone
  18. key — for a lock
  19. branch — a division
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. key — in music

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