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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. net — for catching
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. net — after costs
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. net — in sport
  21. branch — a division
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. season — of the year
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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