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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. press — newspapers
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cold — not warm
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. press — to push
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cold — an illness
  12. deal — to handle
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. branch — a division
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. capital — money
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. capital — a city

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