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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. last — finally
  3. court — of law
  4. can — to be able to
  5. net — after costs
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. net — in sport
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rock — music
  10. charge — a price
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. can — a tin
  14. court — of a king
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. charge — electricity
  17. net — for catching
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. last — to go on
  20. can — a tin
  21. charge — in control
  22. last — final
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. court — for sport

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