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: branch · roll · net · bank · firm · present · spring · kick

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bank — of a river
  4. net — in sport
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. firm — steady
  7. net — for catching
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. roll — a list
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. spring — a coil
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. spring — of water
  15. roll — a cake
  16. present — the time now
  17. net — after costs
  18. firm — decided
  19. branch — a division
  20. present — a gift
  21. bank — for money
  22. kick — in football
  23. bank — for money
  24. spring — the season

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