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 116 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 · mouse · wave · season · rest · cap

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cap — a hat
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rest — a break
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. branch — a division
  10. rest — what's left
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. season — of the year
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. season — in sport

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