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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. branch — a division
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mark — a trace
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rash — a series
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. can — to be able to
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — for money
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bank — for money

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