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: mark · pitch · deal · sharp · branch · bore · court · lash

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. court — for sport
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — a trace
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. court — of law
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pitch — completely
  18. court — of a king
  19. mark — a grade
  20. branch — a division
  21. deal — to handle
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pitch — a sports field

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