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 · field · object · racket · plane · shower · suit · branch

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. field — for sport
  4. suit — to fit
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. object — to protest
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. object — a thing
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. field — farmland
  12. shower — to wash
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. branch — a division
  19. suit — clothes
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. suit — in cards
  22. object — an aim
  23. shower — rain
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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