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 · swing · wind · game · deal · cue · current · wave

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. game — wild animals
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. current — of water
  8. wind — moving air
  9. current — happening now
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. swing — in golf
  12. game — a match
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. cue — a signal
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cue — for pool
  20. current — electric
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. swing — music
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. swing — to play on

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