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: rock · plane · rush · arm · stock · bowl · branch · rash

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rock — music
  5. stock — goods
  6. rush — hurry
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rash — hasty
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rash — a series
  24. plane — a tool

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