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: cap · vault · land · coach · firm · shower · branch · key

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — a hat
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — a lid
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. key — in music
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. shower — rain
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — steady
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cap — of ice
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. branch — a division
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. shower — to wash
  23. land — a country
  24. key — for a lock

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