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 · snap · club · deal · fall · capital · mouse · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. branch — a division
  3. capital — money
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. deal — to handle
  6. snap — to click
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. club — a group
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. can — a tin
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — a city
  20. fall — to drop
  21. club — for dancing
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. club — for golf
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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