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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. file — a document
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. file — a tool
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. shower — to wash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bear — the animal
  16. file — a line of people
  17. shower — rain
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. branch — a division
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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