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: rock · lean · row · branch · staff · stand · spring · track

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. staff — a stick
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. stand — to bear
  10. branch — a division
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. row — a line
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. row — to paddle
  16. lean — thin
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. track — a path
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lean — to bend
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spring — a coil
  24. track — a song

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