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: cabinet · court · branch · dip · mate · pitcher · rush · present

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — for sport
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. court — of law
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. present — a gift
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. dip — to sink
  22. branch — a division
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rush — to hurry

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