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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ball — a dance
  4. craft — boats
  5. suit — clothes
  6. perch — the fish
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rule — a law
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. branch — a division
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. press — a publisher
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. press — to push
  20. press — newspapers
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rule — government

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