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: branch · craft · cell · mouse · press · plane

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. branch — a division
  6. press — to push
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — boats
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cell — in biology
  17. press — a publisher
  18. craft — a skill

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