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: roll · suit · spring · rule · branch · key · wound · bulb

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. spring — of water
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wound — an injury
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. key — the most important part
  12. spring — a coil
  13. roll — a list
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rule — a law
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rule — government
  18. key — for a lock
  19. roll — a cake
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. key — in music
  23. spring — the season
  24. branch — of a tree

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