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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. staff — a stick
  5. court — of a king
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fine — all right
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. branch — a division
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. court — of law
  17. stock — shares
  18. court — for sport
  19. stock — goods
  20. tube — the underground
  21. foot — a measure
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. tube — a container
  24. staff — employees

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