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 · march · suit · deal · cell · staff

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. staff — employees
  3. deal — to handle
  4. march — music
  5. staff — employees
  6. cell — a phone
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cell — in biology
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. march — the month
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. staff — a stick
  14. suit — to fit
  15. branch — a division
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. deal — an agreement

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