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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — a division
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. season — of the year
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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