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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. game — a match
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — boats
  8. game — wild animals
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rock — music
  13. degree — from a university
  14. rock — a stone
  15. degree — an amount
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. sharp — clever
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. degree — temperature
  24. craft — a skill

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