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 university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. degree — temperature
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rock — music
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rest — a break
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — what's left
  19. branch — a division
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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