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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. craft — a skill
  11. capital — money
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. rash — a series
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. capital — a city
  19. branch — a division
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rash — hasty
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. calf — a young animal

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