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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. drill — army training
  3. field — farmland
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. clip — a video
  6. bank — for money
  7. clip — to cut
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. saw — the tool
  11. branch — a division
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bank — for money
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. saw — the tool
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. clip — for paper
  22. kid — child
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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