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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bound — tied together
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bound — certain
  8. rush — hurry
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fall — to drop
  11. squash — the sport
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rule — government
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rule — a law
  18. fall — the season

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