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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bound — tied together
  3. branch — a division
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rule — government
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. swing — music
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. shower — rain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. tear — to rip
  17. tear — from crying
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — in golf
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bound — certain
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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