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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. board — to get on
  4. present — there
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. present — the time now
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mark — a grade
  11. branch — a division
  12. sharp — clever
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. board — a committee
  18. mark — a trace

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