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 120 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 · stand · mine · net · court · bear · can · perch

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. bear — the animal
  2. court — of law
  3. net — for catching
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. can — to be able to
  7. net — in sport
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — to bear
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. net — after costs
  14. can — a tin
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mine — for digging
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. can — a tin
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bear — to put up with
  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