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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. can — to be able to
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. row — a line
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. can — a tin
  11. stem — to come from
  12. can — a tin
  13. row — to paddle
  14. vault — a safe
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. branch — a division

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