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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · branch · calf · coach · club · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. clip — for paper
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. press — newspapers
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. club — a group
  8. clip — a video
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. club — for golf
  14. press — to push
  15. club — for dancing
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. clip — to cut

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