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: fan · vault · toast · branch · scale · trunk · leaves · board

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. board — a committee
  5. scale — in music
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. toast — bread
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. board — to get on
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. board — a flat piece

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