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: club · mouse · degree · wake · branch · bank · safe · stand

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wake — a trail
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bank — of a river
  6. degree — an amount
  7. club — for dancing
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. club — a group
  16. bank — for money
  17. branch — a division
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. degree — temperature
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bank — for money

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