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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. spring — the season
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. drill — the tool
  12. scale — in music
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. press — a publisher
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. kick — in football
  18. press — to push
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lie — to recline
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. spring — 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