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 · roll · cabinet · rash · saw · branch · charge · row

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. branch — a division
  3. row — to paddle
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — hasty
  7. charge — a price
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. roll — a cake
  11. saw — the tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rash — a series
  14. charge — in control
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. roll — a list
  18. row — a line
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. charge — electricity
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. branch — of a tree
  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