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 · wind · temple · land · ruler · press · lie · roll

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. land — a country
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. roll — a list
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. press — to push
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. press — newspapers
  12. land — to come down
  13. press — a publisher
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wind — moving air
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. roll — a cake
  19. lie — to recline
  20. land — ground
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wind — moving air
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — an untruth

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