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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. can — a tin
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mark — a grade
  8. object — to protest
  9. can — a tin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. object — an aim
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. spell — magic
  17. wind — moving air
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. spell — letters
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wind — moving air
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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