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 · straw · cabinet · last · rush · lie · staff · degree

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. degree — temperature
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. branch — a division
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. degree — from a university
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. staff — employees
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. degree — an amount
  17. lie — to recline
  18. last — to go on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — hurry
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. last — final
  23. staff — a stick
  24. last — finally

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