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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tear — from crying
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. tear — to rip
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. row — a line
  13. saw — the tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tear — from crying
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. board — a committee
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. row — to paddle
  21. branch — a division
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. board — to get on
  24. net — after costs

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