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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. swing — to play on
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. dip — to sink
  8. charge — a price
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lie — to recline
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. charge — electricity
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — music
  19. charge — in control
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. deal — to handle
  23. branch — a division
  24. deal — an agreement

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