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: jam · drill · hand · rock · branch · leaves · face · sharp

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rock — music
  5. hand — help
  6. drill — army training
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. hand — in cards
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rock — a stone
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. drill — a practice
  16. face — to point toward
  17. drill — the tool
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. face — to confront
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. branch — a division

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