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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. squash — to crush
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. press — newspapers
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. club — a group
  9. spell — magic
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. press — to push
  15. spell — a short time
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. club — for dancing
  18. wax — to grow
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. club — for golf
  21. spell — letters
  22. press — a publisher
  23. squash — the sport
  24. branch — a division

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