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: branch · date · ruler · craft · leaves · net · stock · club

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. club — a group
  3. craft — a skill
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. club — for dancing
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. club — for golf
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stock — goods
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. date — the fruit
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stock — shares
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. net — after costs
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. branch — a division
  24. stock — a soup base

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