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

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fine — all right
  7. deal — to handle
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pass — a permit
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — high quality
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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