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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · tear · board · firm · branch · charge · bank · field

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. charge — in control
  6. field — farmland
  7. charge — a price
  8. firm — decided
  9. bank — for money
  10. row — to paddle
  11. charge — electricity
  12. field — for sport
  13. tear — from crying
  14. branch — a division
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. row — a line
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. firm — steady
  20. board — a committee
  21. firm — a company
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. tear — to rip
  24. field — a subject

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