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: content · fall · fork · deal · leaves · hand · fan · branch

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fall — to drop
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. branch — a division
  8. content — the amount
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fall — the season
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fork — in a road
  16. hand — help
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hand — in cards
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. content — happy
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fall — to drop

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