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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. branch — a division
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. drill — the tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. drill — army training
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — an amount
  15. ground — the earth
  16. craft — boats
  17. degree — temperature
  18. ground — a position
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. craft — a skill
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ground — crushed

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