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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. branch — a division
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. current — happening now
  9. prune — to trim
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. current — electric
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. current — of water
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fan — a supporter

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