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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. swing — in golf
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. stand — to bear
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bound — certain
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. swing — music
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. deal — to handle
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. date — the fruit

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