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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ball — a great time
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. branch — a division
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mate — a friend
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wound — an injury
  18. toast — bread
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mate — a partner
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. branch — of a bank

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