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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. band — a music group
  3. branch — a division
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. content — the amount
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a city
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. band — a ring
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. safe — out of danger

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