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 · hide · fine · fork · bay · staff · lie · chest

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. staff — employees
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. fine — all right
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fork — in a road
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. lie — to recline
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. lie — an untruth

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