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 116 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: shower · rule · court · pitch · leaves · branch · scale · craft

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. court — of a king
  5. branch — a division
  6. court — for sport
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rule — government
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. court — of law
  13. craft — boats
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rule — a law
  17. shower — rain
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. shower — to wash
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. scale — in music
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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