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 120 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: sharp · swing · craft · rock · branch · march · bulb · cabinet

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. march — the month
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rock — music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. sharp — clever
  14. branch — a division
  15. march — the month
  16. swing — music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. march — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. craft — boats
  21. bulb — for light
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. branch — of a tree

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