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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. game — wild animals
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. prune — to trim
  5. firm — a company
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pound — a weight
  9. branch — a division
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — a cup
  13. game — a match
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. mug — a face
  16. firm — decided
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bank — for money
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. firm — steady

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