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 · rule · press · toast · pound · wake

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. press — a publisher
  7. toast — bread
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rule — government
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wake — a trail
  14. branch — a division
  15. rule — a law
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs

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