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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. snap — to click
  13. mug — a face
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. mug — a cup
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. branch — a division
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pass — a permit
  24. racket — for tennis

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