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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. object — to protest
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. object — an aim
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bore — to tire
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. object — a thing
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bore — to drill
  15. branch — a division
  16. band — a music group
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. snap — to click
  21. band — a ring
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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