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: chair · mate · mark · rash · branch · scale · mug · wave

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mate — a partner
  3. scale — in music
  4. branch — a division
  5. rash — a series
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. mate — to breed
  13. chair — a leader
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. scale — size or range
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wave — of the sea

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