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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. branch — a division
  7. squash — the sport
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. press — a publisher
  11. fine — all right
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. press — to push
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. club — a group
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. wax — to grow
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. fine — high quality
  21. press — newspapers
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — a cake

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