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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cell — in biology
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cell — a phone
  14. spell — magic
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — a committee
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. board — to get on
  19. rock — music
  20. branch — a division
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. saw — the tool

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