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: current · rush · spell · bank · wake · branch · stock · dip

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. spell — magic
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. current — happening now
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. spell — letters
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bank — for money
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stock — goods
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stock — shares
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. dip — to sink
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bank — of a river
  20. current — of water
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. current — electric
  24. branch — a division

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