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: stock · branch · hand · fan · spring · current · board · can

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — electric
  7. spring — the season
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. current — of water
  11. hand — in cards
  12. board — a committee
  13. spring — a coil
  14. can — a tin
  15. spring — of water
  16. branch — a division
  17. can — a tin
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — happening now
  20. stock — shares
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stock — goods
  24. hand — help

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