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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. branch — a division
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lean — to bend
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lean — thin
  10. cue — a signal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bass — the fish
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cue — a hint
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bass — low music

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