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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stock — shares
  6. fall — the season
  7. branch — a division
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stock — goods
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. branch — of a bank

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