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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. dip — to sink
  9. branch — a division
  10. fine — all right
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fine — a penalty

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