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: pop · branch · key · swing · bulb · mug · pitcher · hand

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pop — to visit
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. swing — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mug — a face
  10. pop — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. hand — help
  15. key — in music
  16. mug — to rob
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. swing — to play on
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pop — soda
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — in cards

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