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: branch · wave · ground · lash · wind · date · cue · bowl

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ground — a position
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cue — a signal
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. branch — a division
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. date — the fruit

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