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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. face — to confront
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. net — for catching
  5. face — part of the head
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — happy
  8. net — after costs
  9. game — a match
  10. content — the amount
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rash — a series
  14. charge — a price
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. branch — a division
  18. rash — hasty
  19. game — wild animals
  20. charge — electricity
  21. net — in sport
  22. charge — in control
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rash — on the skin

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