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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lean — to bend
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. clip — a video
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. clip — for paper
  8. cue — for pool
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lean — thin
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. cue — a signal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. object — to protest
  17. clip — to cut
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. object — an aim
  20. snap — to click
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cue — a hint
  24. object — a thing

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