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: bore · wake · branch · lean · march · staff · rule · cue

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. staff — employees
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. march — the month
  7. rule — a law
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bore — to tire
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wake — a trail
  12. march — music
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rule — government
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lean — thin
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. branch — a division
  22. bore — to drill
  23. march — the month
  24. staff — employees

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