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

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. march — music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. land — to come down
  8. craft — boats
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. march — the month
  14. bank — of a river
  15. prune — to trim
  16. land — ground
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. craft — a skill
  19. march — the month
  20. branch — a division
  21. mine — for digging
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bank — for money

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