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: bear · branch · arm · mine · fan · cue · charge · hide

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cue — a signal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mine — for digging
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cue — for pool
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. branch — a division
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cue — a hint
  21. charge — a price
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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