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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. current — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — low music
  12. branch — a division
  13. net — after costs
  14. bass — the fish
  15. current — happening now
  16. lie — to recline
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. net — in sport
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lie — an untruth

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