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 · vault · hand · key · deal · track · degree · coach

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. branch — a division
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. degree — from a university
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. key — for a lock
  10. vault — a safe
  11. degree — temperature
  12. track — to keep track
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hand — in cards
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. degree — an amount
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. track — a song
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — a path

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