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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lean — thin
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — ground
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. branch — a division
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mug — a face
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. land — a country
  17. wake — a trail
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lean — to bend
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mug — a cup

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