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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. branch — a division
  5. craft — a skill
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. cap — a lid
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. craft — boats
  12. firm — steady
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cap — a hat
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. firm — decided
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. cap — of ice
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. board — a flat piece

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