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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. roll — a list
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. clip — to cut
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. clip — for paper
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bulb — for light
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ground — the earth
  19. branch — a division
  20. clip — a video
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. roll — a cake

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