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: squash · saw · fine · branch · chest · cell · bore · craft

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cell — a phone
  3. branch — a division
  4. saw — the tool
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cell — in biology
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chest — of your body
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. chest — a box
  17. craft — boats
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fine — all right

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