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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. season — in sport
  4. cap — a hat
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rest — what's left
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. branch — a division
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. season — of the year
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — a break

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