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: coach · wound · press · mark · chair · branch · lash · clip

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. press — newspapers
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. clip — to cut
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mark — a trace
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. press — to push
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mark — a grade
  19. clip — for paper
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. press — a publisher
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. clip — a video

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