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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. key — in music
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. march — the month
  6. object — a thing
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. object — to protest
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. march — the month
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. key — for a lock
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. march — music
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. branch — a division
  22. object — an aim
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. key — the most important part

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