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: bank · club · bowl · key · swing · mine · object · stem

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. swing — to play on
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bank — for money
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. object — to protest
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. key — in music
  18. object — an aim
  19. club — for dancing
  20. stem — to come from
  21. swing — music
  22. object — a thing
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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