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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rock — a stone
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — to tease
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. track — a path
  12. pass — a permit
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rock — music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. track — a song
  18. land — a country
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. branch — a division

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