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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. firm — a company
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. firm — decided
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. last — to go on
  12. degree — from a university
  13. last — finally
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. degree — an amount
  19. firm — steady
  20. degree — temperature
  21. branch — a division
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. can — a tin

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