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: foot · tear · mark · branch · saw · fine · track · pop

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fine — all right
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. tear — to rip
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. saw — the tool
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fine — high quality
  12. track — to keep track
  13. tear — from crying
  14. track — a song
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pop — to visit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. mark — a trace
  22. track — a path
  23. foot — a measure
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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