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: date · deal · net · stand · pit · pitch · fall · branch

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. fall — to drop
  3. net — for catching
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fall — the season
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pit — a hole
  15. net — in sport
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. net — after costs
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pit — in a race
  24. deal — to handle

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