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: leaves · squash · pitcher · pit · cue · wind · lie · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. squash — the sport
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. branch — a division
  15. pit — in a race
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lie — to recline
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lie — an untruth

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