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: net · spring · stand · branch · firm · bark · pop · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pop — soda
  3. firm — steady
  4. stand — to bear
  5. net — in sport
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pop — to visit
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. spring — a coil
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. spring — of water
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pop — music
  17. firm — a company
  18. spring — the season
  19. net — for catching
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. net — after costs
  24. firm — decided

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