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 116 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: lean · branch · mouse · cell · charge · bear · spring · mug

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — a price
  6. spring — a coil
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lean — to bend
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spring — of water
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mug — a face
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cell — a phone
  22. lean — thin
  23. spring — the season
  24. mug — a cup

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