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 116 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bound — certain
  3. spell — letters
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cap — a hat
  6. last — finally
  7. degree — an amount
  8. cap — a lid
  9. degree — temperature
  10. cap — of ice
  11. spell — magic
  12. last — final
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. last — to go on
  15. degree — from a university
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bound — obliged
  20. spell — a short time
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. vault — a safe
  24. lash — to lash out

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