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: drill · branch · cell · tube · stand · field · plane · pitch

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. pitch — completely
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. tube — a container
  15. drill — the tool
  16. field — farmland
  17. plane — a tool
  18. field — for sport
  19. cell — a phone
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. stand — to bear
  24. plane — in geometry

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