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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stand — to bear
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ground — a position
  8. spell — letters
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. spell — magic
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stock — shares
  13. fine — high quality
  14. key — in music
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. fine — all right
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. stock — goods
  20. key — the most important part
  21. ground — the earth
  22. spell — a short time
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stand — on your feet

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