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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wax — to grow
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fall — the season
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. craft — boats
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. wax — for sculpting

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