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 120 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: cell · chair · hide · rule · branch · wax · capital · cabinet

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cell — a phone
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. cell — in biology
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rule — government
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. capital — a city
  16. branch — a division
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. capital — money
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. capital — a big letter

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