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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. branch — a division
  5. wind — moving air
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cue — a signal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. prune — to trim
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. wind — moving air
  22. content — the amount
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. content — happy

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