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 116 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: wake · bay · ruler · spell · rash · deal · branch · tear

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rash — a series
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rash — hasty
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spell — letters
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wake — a trail
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tear — from crying
  17. branch — a division
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tear — to rip
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. spell — a short time
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. spell — magic
  24. deal — a big deal

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