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: cue · drill · straw · bay · present · branch · hide · roll

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. present — a gift
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. roll — a list
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. branch — a division
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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