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: game · shower · stick · lash · stock · charge · branch · track

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. charge — in control
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. game — a match
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. branch — a division
  9. stock — goods
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. shower — rain
  12. track — a song
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. game — wild animals
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stock — shares
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. track — a path
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. charge — a price

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