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: kick · track · drill · bear · saw · firm · club · branch

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — decided
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. club — a group
  5. saw — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. club — for golf
  10. firm — a company
  11. bear — the animal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. kick — in football
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. drill — army training
  21. saw — the tool
  22. club — for dancing
  23. drill — the tool
  24. firm — steady

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