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: ground · ruler · branch · date · dip · club · pop · lean

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. club — a group
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. club — for golf
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. ground — crushed
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. club — for dancing
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pop — soda
  20. branch — a division
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lean — to rest against

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