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 116 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rule — a law
  5. mark — a trace
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — a division
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pop — music
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. rule — government
  15. pop — to visit
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. key — the most important part
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mark — a grade
  20. key — in music
  21. pop — soda
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — in cards

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