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: pitch · branch · bat · ground · file · safe · mark · bass

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. file — a tool
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mark — a grade
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — a position
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mark — a trace
  16. branch — a division
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bat — the animal
  19. ground — crushed
  20. file — a document
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pitch — completely
  24. file — a line of people

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