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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wind — moving air
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mug — to rob
  5. file — a tool
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mug — a cup
  10. file — a document
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. bear — the animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. board — a committee
  19. mug — a face
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. content — the amount
  22. wind — moving air
  23. content — happy
  24. fan — to cool the air

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