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: date · lean · branch · rash · rest · jam · cue · fork

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. branch — a division
  5. lean — to bend
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cue — for pool
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. lean — thin
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. cue — a hint
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rash — hasty
  24. branch — of a tree

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