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: tear · stock · key · branch · cue · swing · land · fine

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stock — goods
  3. branch — a division
  4. swing — music
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. key — the most important part
  8. tear — from crying
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. land — to come down
  11. fine — all right
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cue — a hint
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cue — a signal
  17. swing — to play on
  18. land — ground
  19. key — in music
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. land — a country
  24. cue — for pool

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