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: key · pitcher · fork · fan · wound · ground · bank · stock

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. stock — shares
  3. ground — a position
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ground — the earth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. key — in music
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stock — goods

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