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 · wave · track · sharp · key · pitcher · fork · craft

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. key — the most important part
  5. craft — boats
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. fork — in a road
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. branch — a division
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. track — a song
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. key — in music
  20. craft — a skill
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. track — a path
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. key — for a lock

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