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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. squash — to crush
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pop — soda
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pop — music
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. key — the most important part
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. key — in music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pop — to visit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. game — a match
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wake — a trail
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. wake — before a funeral

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