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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rush — hurry
  5. spell — magic
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. branch — a division
  9. spell — letters
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. plane — a tool
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. plane — an aircraft

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