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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. staff — employees
  6. present — the time now
  7. fall — to drop
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. staff — employees
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fall — the season
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. staff — a stick
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. squash — the sport
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — a supporter

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