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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. tear — from crying
  5. band — a ring
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. key — in music
  8. staff — employees
  9. lean — thin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. tear — to rip
  13. branch — a division
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lean — to bend
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. tear — from crying
  22. staff — employees
  23. band — a music group
  24. ruler — for measuring

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