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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. race — humankind
  5. wake — a trail
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. hand — help
  10. foot — a measure
  11. race — the arms race
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bank — for money
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. branch — a division
  23. bank — of a river
  24. race — a contest

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