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 · row · squash · can · wave · stock · craft · bulb

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. craft — a skill
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — goods
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. craft — boats
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bulb — for light
  14. squash — the sport
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — to crush
  17. row — a line
  18. stock — shares
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. row — to paddle
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stock — a soup base

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