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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. march — music
  6. firm — steady
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — a company
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. firm — decided
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. net — in sport
  14. branch — a division
  15. net — for catching
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stock — goods
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stock — shares
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. net — after costs
  23. march — the month
  24. wave — with your hand

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