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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rock — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. branch — a division
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. race — humankind
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. swing — music
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wind — moving air
  17. race — the arms race
  18. swing — to play on
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. race — a contest
  24. rock — a stone

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