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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pit — in a race
  3. branch — a division
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. dip — to sink
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. last — final
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. last — to go on
  18. deal — to handle
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. key — for a lock
  23. last — finally
  24. plane — a tool

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