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 116 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. tear — to rip
  4. last — finally
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. last — final
  17. tear — from crying
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tear — from crying
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wake — a trail

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