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: nail · pitch · mark · pound · fine · branch · perch · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — a division
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. perch — the fish
  15. fine — all right
  16. mark — a grade
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. hand — in cards
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fine — high quality
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hand — help
  24. perch — for a bird

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