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: branch · stock · hand · charge · bank · roll · shower · pitch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. shower — rain
  3. pitch — completely
  4. shower — to wash
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. hand — in cards
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. roll — a cake
  13. hand — help
  14. stock — shares
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. charge — in control
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. bank — for money
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bank — of a river
  22. roll — a list
  23. branch — a division
  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