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 120 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: snap · kid · game · branch · rock · season

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. kid — child
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. kid — to tease
  5. snap — to click
  6. rock — a stone
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. branch — a division
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. rock — music
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. game — wild animals
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. game — a match

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