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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. saw — the tool
  5. game — wild animals
  6. can — a tin
  7. race — humankind
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wound — an injury
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — a match
  16. race — a contest
  17. saw — the tool
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wound — an injury
  22. can — a tin
  23. lie — to recline
  24. court — of a king

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