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 · key · pitch · prune · bank · net · nail · bark

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — in sport
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bank — for money
  5. net — for catching
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. key — in music
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. key — the most important part
  20. branch — a division
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bark — to shout

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