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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. spring — a coil
  3. ground — the earth
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. court — of a king
  9. craft — boats
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. ground — a position
  13. court — for sport
  14. branch — a division
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. object — an aim
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ground — crushed
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. court — of law
  24. pitcher — a jug

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