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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. branch — a division
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — music
  8. wound — an injury
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bat — the animal
  14. swing — music
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wind — moving air
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wind — moving air
  24. branch — of a bank

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