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: rule · cabinet · file · deal · firm · mine · branch · leaves

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. file — a line of people
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. firm — a company
  8. file — a tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. file — a document
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rule — a law
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rule — government
  21. firm — decided
  22. mine — for digging
  23. deal — to handle
  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