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: bear · racket · wind · fall · cabinet · branch · cold · toast

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. toast — bread
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fall — the season
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. branch — a division
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cold — not warm
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fall — to drop
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cold — an illness
  24. bear — to put up with

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