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: pitcher · fine · branch · racket · scale · pass · capital · mate

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mate — to breed
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fine — all right
  12. mate — a friend
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. capital — a city
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pass — a permit
  22. capital — money
  23. scale — in music
  24. branch — a division

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