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 · row · roll · scale · kid · capital · pass · stick

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. roll — a cake
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. capital — a city
  9. scale — in music
  10. roll — a list
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. capital — money
  14. scale — size or range
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pass — a permit
  17. kid — child
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. kid — to tease
  22. row — a line
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. branch — of a bank

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