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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. snap — to click
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. branch — a division
  4. bat — the animal
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. press — newspapers
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. suit — to fit
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. degree — an amount
  19. press — to push
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. press — a publisher
  23. suit — in cards
  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