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: snap · bowl · coach · spell · craft · patient · branch · fork

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. spell — letters
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fork — in a road
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. snap — to click
  8. spell — magic
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. branch — a division
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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