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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. sharp — clever
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. suit — to fit
  6. branch — a division
  7. spell — a short time
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. spell — letters
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spell — magic
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wound — an injury
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. branch — of a tree

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