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: fine · perch · branch · date · bank · roll · firm · march

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bank — for money
  3. march — music
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bank — for money
  6. march — the month
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. roll — a list
  9. date — the fruit
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fine — high quality
  12. perch — the fish
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. branch — a division
  15. roll — a cake
  16. march — the month
  17. firm — decided
  18. fine — all right
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. branch — of a tree

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