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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stock — shares
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mark — a trace
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bank — for money
  10. mine — for digging
  11. stock — goods
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. tube — a container
  15. track — a song
  16. firm — steady
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — a company
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cue — a hint
  23. firm — decided
  24. track — a path

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