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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. chip — for betting
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bear — the animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. branch — a division
  16. drill — the tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — to eat
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. branch — of a tree

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