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 116 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mate — a friend
  4. net — for catching
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bass — the fish
  7. branch — a division
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bass — low music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. current — of water
  12. bank — of a river
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mate — a partner
  24. net — in sport

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