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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ball — a dance
  3. last — finally
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rash — a series
  7. net — in sport
  8. branch — a division
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bore — to tire
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. last — final
  14. last — to go on
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rash — hasty
  18. net — for catching
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. net — after costs
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ruler — a monarch

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