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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. spring — a coil
  4. face — part of the head
  5. branch — a division
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. face — to point toward
  8. track — a path
  9. snap — to click
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spring — of water
  14. face — to confront
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. spring — the season

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