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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rule — government
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rule — a law
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. branch — a division
  10. rest — what's left
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fine — all right
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rest — a break
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fine — a penalty

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