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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. degree — from a university
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mug — a face
  11. cell — in biology
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cell — a phone
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mug — a cup
  17. branch — a division
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. degree — an amount
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — hurry

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