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: fan · spell · nail · pass · rule · branch · degree · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. spell — magic
  5. suit — clothes
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. degree — an amount
  8. rule — government
  9. degree — temperature
  10. spell — letters
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. branch — a division
  13. pass — a permit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. spell — a short time
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. degree — from a university
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rule — a law
  24. branch — of a tree

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