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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bass — the fish
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. tear — from crying
  8. club — for golf
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. club — a group
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — low music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rash — a series
  19. rock — music
  20. rash — hasty
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. tear — from crying
  23. club — for dancing
  24. tear — to rip

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