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: wax · dip · current · fall · pitcher · key · pitch · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. branch — a division
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wax — to grow
  6. key — for a lock
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fall — to drop
  16. key — in music
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fall — the season
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. current — electric
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fall — to drop

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