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

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — a short time
  4. court — for sport
  5. spell — letters
  6. face — part of the head
  7. mug — a cup
  8. court — of a king
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mug — a face
  12. court — of law
  13. face — to point toward
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — to rob
  16. spell — magic
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. face — to confront

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