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: pound · arm · board · bass · bulb · pitch · branch · club

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bulb — for light
  8. club — a group
  9. pitch — completely
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pound — a weight
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. club — for golf
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. club — for dancing
  18. board — to get on
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bass — the fish
  23. board — a committee
  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