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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bulb — for light
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bear — the animal
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. band — a ring
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mate — to breed
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mate — a partner
  19. band — a music group
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bear — the animal
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. face — to confront

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