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: fall · march · cap · swing · branch · calf · board · fan

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fall — to drop
  6. swing — to play on
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fall — the season
  10. cap — of ice
  11. swing — music
  12. march — the month
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. march — music
  15. cap — a lid
  16. swing — in golf
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. cap — a hat
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — to get on
  24. fan — a supporter

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