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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. march — the month
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. season — in sport
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. file — a tool
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. stand — to bear
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mark — a trace
  15. branch — a division
  16. fine — high quality
  17. chair — a leader
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fine — all right
  20. march — the month
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. march — music
  23. season — of the year
  24. file — a document

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