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: nail · branch · rash · current · bear · land · bank · stick

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bear — the animal
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rash — hasty
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. land — ground
  11. current — electric
  12. branch — a division
  13. land — to come down
  14. rash — a series
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. land — a country
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. branch — of a tree
  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