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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lie — to recline
  5. can — to be able to
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. charge — in control
  8. spring — a coil
  9. board — a committee
  10. charge — a price
  11. bound — tied together
  12. charge — electricity
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rock — a stone
  15. spring — the season
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — certain
  18. spring — of water
  19. bound — obliged
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. can — a tin
  22. board — to get on
  23. rock — music
  24. can — a tin

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