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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rash — a series
  9. branch — a division
  10. bulb — for light
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hand — help
  13. ball — a great time
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. march — the month
  24. hand — in cards

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