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: branch · chest · rule · foot · vault · wave

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chest — a box
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. branch — a division
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. chest — of your body
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rule — a law
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rule — government
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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