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 · mug · wave · arm · mouse · wound · fan · track

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. track — a path
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mug — a face
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wound — an injury
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mug — a cup
  19. branch — a division
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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