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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. race — a contest
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. race — humankind
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. last — to go on
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. last — finally
  15. race — the arms race
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. tear — from crying
  18. craft — boats
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. last — final
  21. tear — to rip
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. branch — a division

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