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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. key — in music
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — a lid
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. roll — a cake
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rule — government
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rule — a law
  22. cap — of ice
  23. roll — a list
  24. bear — the 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