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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mate — to breed
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. prune — to trim
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. kick — in football
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. club — for golf
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. club — for dancing
  22. mark — a grade
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mate — a friend

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