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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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. fall — to drop
  4. suit — in cards
  5. face — to point toward
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. suit — to fit
  8. branch — a division
  9. pop — music
  10. fall — the season
  11. clip — for paper
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pop — to visit
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ball — a great time
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. suit — clothes
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. clip — to cut
  22. pop — soda
  23. clip — a video
  24. face — to confront

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