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: object · game · branch · fan · toast · current · season · hand

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. game — a match
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. current — electric
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. hand — in cards
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. hand — help
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. season — in sport
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. game — wild animals
  22. season — of the year
  23. branch — a division
  24. toast — bread

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