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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. spell — magic
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mate — to breed
  11. branch — a division
  12. mate — a friend
  13. craft — a skill
  14. spell — a short time
  15. object — to protest
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mate — a partner
  18. craft — boats
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. object — an aim
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — a thing

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