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: wound · board · branch · spell · safe · kid · season · swing

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — a short time
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wound — an injury
  5. swing — in golf
  6. board — to get on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. kid — child
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. spell — magic
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. season — in sport
  17. branch — a division
  18. kid — to tease
  19. wound — an injury
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. swing — music
  22. board — a committee
  23. season — of the year
  24. swing — to play on

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