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: rush · wax · branch · deal · march · suit · bound · spell

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. march — the month
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wax — to grow
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. spell — magic
  7. suit — in cards
  8. march — music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. branch — a division
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bound — certain
  14. rush — hurry
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. spell — letters
  22. march — the month
  23. bound — obliged
  24. spell — a short time

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