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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  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 bank
  2. rush — hurry
  3. present — a gift
  4. charge — in control
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mug — to rob
  7. file — a line of people
  8. charge — a price
  9. present — there
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. file — a document
  13. present — the time now
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mug — a face
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. charge — electricity
  20. file — a tool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ground — a position
  23. branch — of a tree
  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