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: march · foot · rush · branch · bear · current · suit · date

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. suit — clothes
  3. current — electric
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. foot — a measure
  8. march — the month
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. branch — a division
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. rush — hurry
  14. current — happening now
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. current — of water
  20. suit — to fit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  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