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: rest · track · pitcher · deal · date · face · bank · branch

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. track — a song
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. date — the fruit
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. track — to keep track
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bank — for money
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rest — what's left
  15. deal — to handle
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rest — what's left
  18. track — a path
  19. rest — a break
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bank — for money
  23. face — to confront
  24. branch — a division

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