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: key · saw · bowl · board · branch · vault · fall · stem

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. key — in music
  4. board — a committee
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. saw — the tool

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