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: mark · branch · kid · pass · foot · row · pop · shower

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — music
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. shower — rain
  12. row — a line
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — to tease
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mark — a trace
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pop — to visit
  24. branch — a division

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