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: bat · craft · present · branch · hide · fork · stock · roll

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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 — a skill
  2. bat — the animal
  3. branch — a division
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. present — the time now
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. roll — a list
  9. craft — boats
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. fork — in a road
  13. present — a gift
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stock — goods
  16. present — there
  17. roll — a cake
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stock — shares
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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