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: ball · chip · branch · bank · temple · land · march · stand

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. chip — for betting
  3. march — music
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. land — ground
  10. branch — a division
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a great time
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. march — the month
  22. land — to come down
  23. stand — to bear
  24. march — the month

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