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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. face — part of the head
  3. scale — in music
  4. firm — decided
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pop — soda
  7. rush — hurry
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. scale — size or range
  10. firm — a company
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — a division
  24. firm — steady

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