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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. branch — a division
  7. press — newspapers
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. can — to be able to
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. can — a tin
  14. mug — a cup
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — a tin
  17. press — to push
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. press — a publisher
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. branch — of a tree

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