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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. press — a publisher
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bass — low music
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. press — newspapers
  7. suit — to fit
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. press — to push
  16. chair — a leader
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bat — the animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. racket — for tennis

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