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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. roll — a cake
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rest — what's left
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rest — a break
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rash — hasty
  15. roll — a list
  16. rest — what's left
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. branch — a division
  20. prune — to trim
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rash — a series
  24. mug — a face

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