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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. march — the month
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. scale — in music
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spring — a coil
  8. branch — a division
  9. scale — size or range
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hand — help
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. suit — clothes
  14. spring — of water
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. suit — in cards
  18. march — the month
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. march — music
  22. spring — the season
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. hand — in cards

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