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: pop · temple · vault · arm · cap · leaves · branch · date

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pop — to visit
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pop — music
  9. vault — a safe
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. date — the fruit
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pop — soda
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. cap — a lid
  24. leaves — to go away

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