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 124 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rash — hasty
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rash — a series
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. key — the most important part
  10. vault — a safe
  11. branch — a division
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. key — in music
  18. land — a country
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. land — ground
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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