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 · temple · craft · fine · sharp · court · fan · season

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. branch — a division
  5. fine — high quality
  6. craft — a skill
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. court — for sport
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. season — in sport
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. craft — boats
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fine — all right
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. season — of the year

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