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: suit · bat · rest · rash · cap · mark · branch · trunk

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — a grade
  4. cap — a lid
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rash — a series
  12. bat — the animal
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. rest — a break
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. suit — in cards
  24. branch — a division

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