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 116 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: press · stock · kid · rule · stem · fork · saw · branch

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rule — a law
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stock — goods
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. press — newspapers
  8. stem — to come from
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. kid — child
  13. press — a publisher
  14. kid — to tease
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. press — to push
  18. rule — government
  19. fork — in a road
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stock — a soup base
  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