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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. net — after costs
  9. track — a song
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mug — a face
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. net — for catching
  14. track — to keep track
  15. branch — a division
  16. mug — a cup
  17. net — in sport
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fine — all right
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. track — a path
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. stem — to come from

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