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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. shower — rain
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — to wash
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. swing — to play on
  10. staff — a stick
  11. branch — a division
  12. staff — employees
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. staff — employees
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stock — shares
  17. pound — a weight
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. swing — music
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. swing — in golf
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pound — for dogs

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