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 116 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: pitcher · chip · suit · fan · wake · wound · bank · branch

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bank — for money
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wake — a trail
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wound — an injury
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — a supporter

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