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 120 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: bat · bound · chair · fine · rush · branch · bass · spell

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. spell — letters
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bass — the fish
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. spell — magic
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fine — high quality
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. branch — a division
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bass — low music
  23. fine — all right
  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