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: rule · bank · foot · prune · stock · mark · cabinet · branch

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rule — a law
  13. stock — shares
  14. bank — of a river
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stock — goods
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rule — government
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. branch — a division
  23. prune — to trim
  24. branch — of a bank

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