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: straw · bank · squash · branch · fine · suit · stem · season

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fine — high quality
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. squash — the sport
  8. branch — a division
  9. suit — in cards
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stem — to come from
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. squash — to crush
  17. season — in sport
  18. suit — to fit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. fine — all right
  21. season — of the year
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. season — to add flavour
  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