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 · mug · roll · craft · rock · foot · suit · fan

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. craft — a skill
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rock — a stone
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. roll — a cake
  14. craft — boats
  15. mug — a face
  16. suit — in cards
  17. branch — a division
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — a measure
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. mug — to rob
  24. roll — a list

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