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 120 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: dip · coach · bound · branch · rock · rush · track · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mine — for digging
  4. rock — music
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bound — obliged
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. track — a path
  11. bound — tied together
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. branch — a division
  16. dip — to sink
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bound — certain
  19. rush — hurry
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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