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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. row — a line
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. date — the fruit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. row — to paddle
  12. march — the month
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rash — hasty
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. branch — a division
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. rash — a series
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. row — a quarrel

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