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 · fan · date · lie · bulb · board · last · scale

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. last — final
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. last — to go on
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bulb — for light
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. last — finally
  16. bulb — for light
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. scale — in music
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. branch — a division
  23. board — to get on
  24. lie — to recline

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