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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. present — a gift
  7. wax — to grow
  8. present — there
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. current — electric
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. staff — employees
  13. branch — a division
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. staff — employees
  18. present — the time now
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. staff — a stick
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. coach — a trainer

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