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 120 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: rest · lean · pass · branch · cabinet · fork · bulb · pitch

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bulb — for light
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. branch — a division
  19. lean — thin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lean — to bend

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