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: branch · charge · wind · mug · pass · race · kid · swing

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. branch — a division
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mug — a face
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. mug — to rob
  10. race — a contest
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. charge — a price
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. race — humankind
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wind — moving air
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. wind — moving air
  19. swing — to play on
  20. kid — child
  21. pass — a permit
  22. charge — in control
  23. mug — a cup
  24. kid — to tease

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