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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bound — certain
  4. stock — goods
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bank — for money
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bound — obliged
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. wound — an injury
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — shares
  19. drill — army training
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. wound — an injury
  22. branch — a division
  23. bound — tied together
  24. drill — a practice

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