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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fall — the season
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stock — goods
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rush — hurry
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — shares
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fall — to drop

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