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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stock — shares
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. plane — a tool
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. kid — to tease
  8. cue — a signal
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cue — for pool
  11. kid — child
  12. field — a subject
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. field — farmland
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. branch — a division
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stock — goods
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. field — for sport

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