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 · plane · drill · key · cell · calf · cold · stock

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. key — in music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stock — goods
  9. branch — a division
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cell — a phone
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. key — the most important part
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cell — in biology
  18. stock — shares
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. drill — the tool
  21. key — for a lock
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cold — not warm
  24. drill — army training

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