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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chair — a leader
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pop — music
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. branch — a division
  10. pop — soda
  11. rash — hasty
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. charge — a price
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. charge — in control
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rash — a series

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