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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. content — happy
  3. pass — a permit
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. content — the amount
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wax — to grow
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fork — in a road
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. lie — to recline
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. branch — a division

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