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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ball — a great time
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lean — thin
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cue — a hint
  10. spell — letters
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. branch — a division
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cue — a signal
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cue — for pool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. squash — to crush
  24. spell — magic

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