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: chest · coach · root · rush · pit · suit · branch · bay

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. branch — a division
  3. chest — a box
  4. root — of a word
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. root — of a plant
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pit — in a race
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rush — hurry
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. root — the cause
  20. suit — to fit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. suit — in cards

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