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: branch · board · cap · pass · track · bass · spring · fork

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pass — a permit
  3. cap — of ice
  4. spring — a coil
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bass — the fish
  9. board — to get on
  10. track — a path
  11. board — a committee
  12. cap — a lid
  13. spring — of water
  14. cap — a hat
  15. spring — the season
  16. track — a song
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bass — low music
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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