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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. vault — a safe
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. branch — a division
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. season — in sport
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rule — government
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. prune — to trim
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rule — a law

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