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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. branch — a division
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rush — hurry
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bear — to put up with

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