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: pitch · chair · branch · bank · leaves · file · prune · stand

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pitch — completely
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. file — a tool
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. file — a document
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stand — to bear
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. file — a line of people
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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