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 · staff · racket · bass · net · stock · fan · track

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. stock — goods
  7. track — a path
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. net — for catching
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. track — to keep track
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. net — after costs
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. net — in sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. branch — a division
  22. track — a song
  23. bass — low music
  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