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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. spring — the season
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. spring — a coil
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — certain
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — to fit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. branch — a division
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cue — for pool
  13. land — to come down
  14. bound — obliged
  15. land — a country
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. spring — of water
  18. land — ground
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. suit — in cards
  23. squash — to crush
  24. cue — a signal

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