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 · cap · current · bank · row · present · leaves · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. current — electric
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cap — of ice
  8. present — there
  9. spell — letters
  10. cap — a hat
  11. current — of water
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — a division
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. cap — a lid
  18. row — a line
  19. current — happening now
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. row — to paddle

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