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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. band — a music group
  3. firm — decided
  4. tear — from crying
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. band — a ring
  13. branch — a division
  14. firm — steady
  15. tear — from crying
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. craft — boats
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. firm — a company
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. band — a rubber band

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