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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. charge — in control
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. land — to come down
  8. foot — a measure
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bass — low music
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. land — a country
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. branch — a division
  24. land — ground

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