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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. branch — a division
  3. rash — hasty
  4. shower — to wash
  5. rash — a series
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bass — the fish
  11. object — to protest
  12. bass — low music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. saw — the tool
  18. object — an aim
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — clothes
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. shower — rain

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