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 120 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. content — happy
  3. lean — thin
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pound — a weight
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. lean — to bend
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. sharp — clever
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. content — the amount
  21. branch — a division
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. sharp — with an edge

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