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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. march — the month
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mark — a trace
  8. branch — a division
  9. mark — a grade
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. march — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. chip — to eat
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. chip — for betting
  23. suit — clothes
  24. march — the month

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