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: branch · rule · saw · present · lash · key · coach · ground

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. key — the most important part
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ground — the earth
  6. key — for a lock
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — a gift
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ground — a position

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