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 · march · swing · temple · season · mark · rock · stem

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. stem — to come from
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mark — a trace
  5. season — of the year
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. bank — of a river
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. march — music
  13. bank — for money
  14. rock — a stone
  15. season — in sport
  16. swing — to play on
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mark — a grade
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bank — for money

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