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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. present — a gift
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mate — to breed
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. present — the time now
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mate — a friend
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. branch — a division
  15. present — there
  16. mate — a partner
  17. kid — to tease
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. kid — child
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bowl — a football final

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