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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. row — to paddle
  4. spell — a short time
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. row — a line
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. content — happy
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. spell — magic
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. spell — letters
  21. plane — a tool
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. content — the amount
  24. chair — a leader

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