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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spring — of water
  3. present — there
  4. dip — to sink
  5. branch — a division
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rest — what's left
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rush — hurry
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mate — a partner
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. spring — the season
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rest — a break
  18. present — a gift
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. present — the time now
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. spring — a coil

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