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 · hide · bay · toast · game · lean · object · fork

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lean — thin
  10. object — a thing
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. object — an aim
  13. toast — bread
  14. object — to protest
  15. game — a match
  16. branch — a division
  17. game — wild animals
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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