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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bank — for money
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bank — for money
  13. date — the fruit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bank — of a river
  24. chair — to sit on

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