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: bay · branch · temple · board · clip · bat · stick · spring

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bat — the animal
  4. spring — the season
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. clip — a video
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. board — a committee
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. branch — a division
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — to get on

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