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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fall — to drop
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bulb — for light
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. file — a document
  8. key — in music
  9. file — a tool
  10. net — in sport
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fall — the season
  14. net — after costs
  15. degree — from a university
  16. branch — a division
  17. bulb — for light
  18. key — for a lock
  19. net — for catching
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. key — the most important part
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — an amount

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