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: content · leaves · hand · suit · branch · bank · mine · staff

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. staff — employees
  7. content — happy
  8. mine — for digging
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. staff — employees
  11. bank — for money
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. suit — in cards
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. branch — a division
  19. staff — a stick
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bank — of a river
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. content — the amount

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