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: rock · spell · perch · stock · fine · stick · branch · band

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. spell — a short time
  5. band — a ring
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rock — music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fine — all right
  10. spell — magic
  11. band — a music group
  12. stock — goods
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. spell — letters
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rock — a stone
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. perch — for a bird
  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