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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bass — low music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bass — the fish
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. charge — in control
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lean — thin
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. branch — a division
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lean — to bend

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