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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bank — of a river
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bank — for money
  9. stand — to bear
  10. branch — a division
  11. squash — the sport
  12. court — of a king
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bank — for money
  18. court — for sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. prune — to trim
  23. court — of law
  24. prune — to trim

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