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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. content — happy
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. present — a gift
  6. track — to keep track
  7. content — the amount
  8. present — the time now
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. track — a path
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. present — there
  14. branch — a division
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. land — a country
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. land — ground
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. land — to come down
  23. track — a song
  24. fan — to cool the air

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