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: spell · fan · branch · last · wind · pitcher · leaves · pit

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. spell — a short time
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pit — a hole
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. last — finally
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. branch — a division
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. last — final
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. spell — letters
  20. last — to go on
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. spell — magic
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wind — moving air

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