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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. branch — a division
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. current — of water
  5. rock — music
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. staff — employees
  8. fine — all right
  9. scale — in music
  10. current — happening now
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. current — electric
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. staff — employees
  17. ball — a dance
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fine — high quality
  20. scale — size or range
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ball — a great time

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