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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. branch — a division
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cell — in biology
  7. rash — hasty
  8. fine — all right
  9. cell — a phone
  10. march — the month
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. fine — high quality
  14. march — music
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rash — a series
  22. pass — a permit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pass — to spend time

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