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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. chest — of your body
  3. press — a publisher
  4. rest — what's left
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. can — a tin
  11. branch — a division
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — a break
  15. press — to push
  16. plane — a tool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. press — newspapers
  22. can — a tin
  23. fine — high quality
  24. patient — a sick person

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