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 · club · court · bore · bank · stem · mug · wind

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. branch — a division
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. court — for sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. mug — a face
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bore — to drill
  14. court — of a king
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mug — a cup
  17. club — for golf
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stem — to come from
  22. club — a group
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. court — of law

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