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 116 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 · mate · vault · cap · bat · wind · craft · deal

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mate — to breed
  3. deal — to handle
  4. branch — a division
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mate — a friend
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wind — moving air
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cap — a hat
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bat — the animal
  16. wind — moving air
  17. craft — boats
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mate — a partner
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wind — to turn a key

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