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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. branch — a division
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. spell — magic
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spell — letters
  13. swing — music
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. swing — to play on
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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