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 · bound · stock · land · shower · nail · jam · craft

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. stock — goods
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. craft — boats
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — shares
  7. bound — obliged
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. land — a country
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bound — certain
  13. land — ground
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. land — to come down
  18. branch — a division
  19. shower — rain
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bound — tied together
  24. shower — to wash

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