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 · sharp · stock · jam · coach · leaves · chest · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stock — shares
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. branch — a division
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. club — a group
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stock — goods
  17. club — for dancing
  18. chest — a box
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. chest — of your body
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chest — of your body

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