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: fork · rock · kid · pit · branch · stock · march · ruler

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. march — the month
  9. branch — a division
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rock — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. march — music
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stock — goods
  23. march — the month
  24. stock — shares

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