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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stock — shares
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. branch — a division
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lean — thin
  12. swing — music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. swing — in golf
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ball — a dance
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bore — to drill
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. stock — goods

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