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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. press — to push
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. net — after costs
  10. press — a publisher
  11. file — a tool
  12. branch — a division
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. file — a document
  18. net — for catching
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. press — newspapers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. net — in sport

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