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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cue — a hint
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rock — music
  10. key — in music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bear — the animal
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. cue — for pool
  15. hand — help
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — the animal
  22. branch — a division
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. hand — part of the body

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