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: current · lash · rash · stock · board · ball · branch · pitcher

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. current — happening now
  4. ball — a dance
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. branch — a division
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. board — to get on
  13. current — electric
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. current — of water
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. board — a committee
  24. lash — an eyelash

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