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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. season — of the year
  8. bear — the animal
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. season — in sport
  11. wound — an injury
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. land — a country
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. land — ground
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. land — to come down
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bear — to put up with

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