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: hand · shower · lean · branch · suit · can · cue · ball

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ball — a dance
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. suit — in cards
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. cue — a hint
  10. hand — help
  11. shower — rain
  12. cue — a signal
  13. branch — a division
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hand — in cards
  17. can — to be able to
  18. shower — to wash
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. cue — for pool
  24. can — a tin

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