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: wound · branch · last · pound · vault · content · dip · hide

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. dip — to sink
  3. content — the amount
  4. last — finally
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. branch — a division
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. vault — a safe
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wound — an injury
  18. last — final
  19. wound — an injury
  20. last — to go on
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. pound — for dogs

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