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: capital · bound · plane · branch · prune · cabinet · wound · mouse

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — certain
  5. capital — money
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bound — tied together
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wound — an injury
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. capital — a city
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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