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: branch · race · cap · rock · bore · fan · wave · saw

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bore — to tire
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cap — a lid
  6. race — a contest
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bore — to drill
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — music
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. saw — the tool
  20. branch — a division
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bore — gave birth

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