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 112 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 · wax · hide · chip · spring · face · racket · leaves

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. face — part of the head
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. spring — the season
  11. face — to point toward
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — for betting
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. spring — a coil
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chip — to eat
  18. face — to confront
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. branch — a division
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — to grow

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