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: court · patient · bank · firm · leaves · chip · net · track

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. court — of a king
  8. firm — decided
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. track — a song
  13. court — for sport
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bank — of a river
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. net — in sport
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. court — of law
  24. leaves — of a tree

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