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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. track — a song
  3. lie — to recline
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. track — to keep track
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. track — a path
  14. press — newspapers
  15. land — to come down
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. press — a publisher
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. snap — to click
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lean — thin
  22. press — to push
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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