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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rock — a stone
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — music
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fine — all right
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitch — a sports field

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