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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bank — for money
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. tube — the underground
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bank — of a river
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. chair — a leader
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tube — a container
  21. branch — a division
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bank — for money
  24. calf — a young animal

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