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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. row — to paddle
  3. track — a song
  4. firm — steady
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. row — a line
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. capital — a city
  12. firm — a company
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — a weight
  22. firm — decided
  23. capital — money
  24. branch — of a tree

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