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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — the animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. net — in sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. object — an aim
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. object — to protest
  12. bank — of a river
  13. net — after costs
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. net — for catching
  17. branch — a division
  18. mark — a grade

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