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: cabinet · squash · fine · mark · arm · snap · branch · pitcher

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. fine — high quality
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. squash — the sport
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. fine — all right
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mark — a grade

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