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: arm · branch · lean · plane · rush · fine · content · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rush — hurry
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fine — high quality
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. content — the amount
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. branch — a division
  21. content — happy
  22. fine — all right
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. content — videos and posts

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