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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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 round shape
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rash — a series
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. branch — a division
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — certain
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pop — music
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. land — a country
  22. pop — soda
  23. land — ground
  24. pop — to visit

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