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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bass — the fish
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bass — low music
  7. row — a line
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. root — of a word
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. club — for dancing
  18. root — the cause
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. branch — a division
  24. root — of a plant

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