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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. dip — to sink
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. present — there
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. club — for golf
  9. key — the most important part
  10. present — the time now
  11. plane — a tool
  12. club — for dancing
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. key — for a lock
  18. file — a document
  19. bank — of a river
  20. key — in music
  21. bank — for money
  22. club — a group
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. branch — a division

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