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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stem — to come from
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. current — electric
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. current — happening now
  12. mug — to rob
  13. saw — the tool
  14. march — music
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. march — the month
  20. object — an aim
  21. branch — a division
  22. current — of water
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. branch — of a tree

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