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 116 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: degree · shower · saw · last · stock · mark · swing · bank

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. last — finally
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stock — shares
  5. shower — rain
  6. stock — goods
  7. last — final
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. shower — to wash
  14. mark — a grade
  15. saw — the tool
  16. degree — from a university
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. swing — to play on
  23. last — to go on
  24. bank — of a river

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