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: wind · rule · roll · can · cap · jam · branch · fine

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fine — all right
  3. cap — of ice
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cap — a lid
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. cap — a hat
  9. can — a tin
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. roll — a list
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wind — moving air
  14. can — a tin
  15. rule — government
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wind — moving air
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fine — high quality
  20. branch — a division
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rule — a law
  23. roll — a cake
  24. branch — of a tree

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