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 124 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bank — for money
  3. pound — a weight
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. club — for golf
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. degree — temperature
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stock — shares
  17. bank — of a river
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — goods
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tube — a container
  22. degree — from a university
  23. tube — the underground
  24. degree — an amount

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