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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. season — of the year
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. roll — a cake
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. clip — for paper
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. clip — to cut
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. clip — a video
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. roll — a list
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rush — hurry

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