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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. band — a ring
  5. fall — the season
  6. fine — all right
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cell — a phone
  11. branch — a division
  12. object — an aim
  13. band — a music group
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. cell — in biology
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. object — a thing
  23. rest — a break
  24. object — to protest

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