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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. cell — in biology
  5. branch — a division
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fine — all right
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. fine — high quality
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. shower — rain
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. suit — clothes
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cell — a phone
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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