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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. can — a tin
  10. bass — the fish
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stem — to come from
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bass — low music
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. can — a tin
  24. branch — a division

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