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 120 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: track · capital · pound · fine · coach · temple · branch · stand

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. track — a path
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. track — a song
  10. branch — a division
  11. pound — a weight
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. capital — a city
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. capital — money
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. stand — to bear
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fine — all right

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