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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. board — to get on
  4. branch — a division
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. ground — crushed
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. chest — a box
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ground — a position
  14. chest — of your body
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cue — for pool
  17. chest — of your body
  18. dip — to sink
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bass — low music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. board — a committee
  23. ground — the earth
  24. board — a flat piece

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