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: mate · season · trunk · file · can · bat · branch · deal

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. file — a tool
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. season — in sport
  7. mate — to breed
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. mate — a partner
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. file — a document
  13. season — of the year
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mate — a friend
  16. can — a tin
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. branch — a division
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. can — to be able to
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bat — the animal
  24. season — to add flavour

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