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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. branch — a division
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. degree — an amount
  8. present — a gift
  9. lean — thin
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pop — music
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. present — the time now
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. present — there
  24. pop — soda

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