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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. toast — bread
  5. branch — a division
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. fall — the season
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. club — a group
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. club — for golf
  14. row — a line
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. row — to paddle
  20. land — ground
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. club — for dancing
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bowl — a football final

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