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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. branch — a division
  4. scale — size or range
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — a company
  7. wound — an injury
  8. season — in sport
  9. scale — in music
  10. current — electric
  11. season — of the year
  12. firm — steady
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. current — happening now
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. firm — decided
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ground — a position
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. current — of water

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