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 · bear · last · pit · mug · scale · wind · bound

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. pit — in a race
  3. scale — size or range
  4. last — final
  5. scale — in music
  6. bound — tied together
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. last — finally
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. last — to go on
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bound — certain
  22. branch — a division
  23. wind — moving air
  24. branch — of a bank

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