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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bank — for money
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rest — a break
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. key — the most important part
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — for money
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. wound — an injury
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wound — an injury
  24. key — for a lock

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