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: fine · jam · branch · drill · firm · deal · season · scale

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. scale — in music
  12. deal — to handle
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. drill — army training
  16. branch — a division
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fine — high quality
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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