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: calf · board · spring · staff · track · branch · snap · present

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. board — to get on
  3. track — to keep track
  4. present — there
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. present — a gift
  7. spring — a coil
  8. staff — a stick
  9. present — the time now
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. staff — employees
  14. snap — to click
  15. track — a path
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spring — the season
  19. board — a committee
  20. spring — of water
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. staff — employees
  24. track — a song

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