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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. present — there
  5. branch — a division
  6. bear — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rock — music
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bear — the animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. land — a country
  17. land — to come down
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. present — the time now
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — rain
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. land — ground

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