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 120 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 · rash · pass · branch · club · cap · lash · pound

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stock — shares
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rash — hasty
  6. club — for golf
  7. stock — goods
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rash — a series
  11. club — a group
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pound — a weight
  17. branch — a division
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. club — for dancing

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