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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. toast — bread
  5. craft — boats
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. chair — a leader
  9. cold — not warm
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. branch — a division
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. hand — help
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cold — an illness
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a professorship
  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