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 · mine · stick · stand · bowl · foot · dip · branch

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. object — a thing
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. object — to protest
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mine — for digging
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. object — an aim
  22. branch — a division
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. foot — part of the body

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