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: lean · craft · branch · pit · degree · march · jam · stem

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. degree — from a university
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. march — music
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. branch — a division
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stem — to come from
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lean — to bend
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. craft — boats
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. march — the month
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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