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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. court — for sport
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. fall — to drop
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. branch — a division
  12. fall — to drop
  13. spell — a short time
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. court — of a king
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. court — of law
  19. fall — the season
  20. object — an aim
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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