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 120 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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. deal — to handle
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. branch — a division
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. spell — magic
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — a box
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rush — hurry
  22. spell — letters
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pit — in a race

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