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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. drill — army training
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. game — wild animals
  8. wind — moving air
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. game — a match
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wind — moving air
  22. saw — the tool
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wind — to turn a key

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