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: cap · rest · date · branch · foot · coach · rule · fine

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cap — a hat
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rule — a law
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. rule — government
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rest — a break
  16. fine — high quality
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fine — all right
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rest — what's left
  24. date — on the calendar

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