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 · rush · foot · wave · ruler · fork · lean · mine

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. branch — a division
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lean — thin

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