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: stock · track · snap · last · branch · rock · trunk · jam

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. track — a song
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. track — to keep track
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. track — a path
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. last — to go on
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rock — music
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rock — a stone
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. last — final
  17. last — finally
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. snap — to click

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