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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. spring — a coil
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. can — to be able to
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. saw — the tool
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. scale — size or range
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bass — the fish
  24. foot — the bottom

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