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 124 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spell — letters
  7. track — a path
  8. season — of the year
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. degree — temperature
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. degree — an amount
  13. track — to keep track
  14. season — in sport
  15. spell — magic
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. track — a song
  24. degree — from a university

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