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: mouse · suit · wave · last · march · branch · press · ground

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. last — finally
  3. ground — the earth
  4. march — music
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — to fit
  7. press — newspapers
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. last — to go on
  14. ground — a position
  15. march — the month
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. march — the month
  20. press — to push
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. last — final
  24. wave — with your hand

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