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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. face — to confront
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. present — there
  7. branch — a division
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. present — a gift
  13. face — part of the head
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mine — for digging
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. present — the time now
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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