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: current · pass · last · fine · branch · board · bound · fall

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. current — electric
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fall — to drop
  6. branch — a division
  7. board — a committee
  8. bound — obliged
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fine — all right
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — a permit
  13. current — happening now
  14. last — finally
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bound — certain
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. last — to go on
  19. fine — high quality
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fall — the season
  23. board — to get on
  24. last — final

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