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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. firm — steady
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. branch — a division
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pitch — completely
  10. track — a song
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. firm — a company
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bound — certain
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wax — to grow
  22. firm — decided
  23. track — a path
  24. wax — in the ear

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