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: game · bay · firm · bank · charge · branch · jam · key

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. charge — a price
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. firm — decided
  7. game — a match
  8. firm — a company
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. charge — in control
  15. bank — for money
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. branch — a division
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bank — of a river
  21. firm — steady
  22. game — wild animals
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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