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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. swing — in golf
  3. cue — for pool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. swing — to play on
  10. land — ground
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stock — shares
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. swing — music
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stock — goods
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. temple — a place of worship

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