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: suit · can · staff · branch · fork · stand · straw · spell

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. spell — magic
  4. branch — a division
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. staff — employees
  7. fork — in a road
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. spell — letters
  22. suit — in cards
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stand — to bear

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